Practical
Plants

Smilax bona-nox

Greenbriar

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Smilax
Foliage
deciduous
Height
6 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Edible uses

Root - cooked[9][16][18][5]. It can be dried and ground into a powder[17][2][3]. The root can be made into a gelatine[18]. The root contains a pectin-like substance[4]. Young shoots - raw or cooked[18][2][4]. Fruit - raw. A rubbery texture, it is chewed[6] (and chewed and chewed presumably![K]) Produced in umbels of up to 20 fruits, each fruit is about 5mm in diameter[11].

Plant part
Fruit
Product or use
Gelatine
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Stem

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The root is diuretic. It is used in the treatment of dropsy and urinary complaints[7][13]. A tea made from the roots is used to help the expelling of afterbirth[10]. Reports that the roots contain the hormone testosterone have not been confirmed, they might contain steroid precursors, however[10]. The stem prickles have been rubbed on the skin as a counter-irritant to relieve localised pains, muscle cramps and twitching[10]. A tea made from the leaves and stems has been used as a general tonic and also in the treatment of rheumatism and stomach problems[10][13]. The wilted leaves are applied as a poultice to boils[10].

Product or use
Birthing aid
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Rubefacient

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
South-eastern N. America - Virginia to Kentucky, Kansas, Florida, Texas and Mexico.
Habitat
Dry to moist soils, sand dunes, fields, clearings and thickets[15].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - sow March in a warm greenhouse[1]. This note probably refers to the tropical members of the genus, seeds of plants from cooler areas seem to require a period of cold stratification, some species taking 2 or more years to germinate[K]. We sow the seed of temperate species in a cold frame as soon as we receive it, and would sow the seed as soon as it is ripe if we could obtain it then[K]. When the seedlings eventually germinate, prick them out into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first year, though we normally grow them on in pots for 2 years. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in early spring as new growth begins[12]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer. Cuttings of half-ripe shoots, July in a frame[12].

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils in sun or semi-shade[8]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Kavasch. B. Native Harvests. Vintage Books 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-394-72811-4

    ↩1↩2

  3. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  4. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩1↩2

  5. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

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  6. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  7. Pesman. M. W. Meet Flora Mexicana. Dale S. King. Arizona. 1962-00-00

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  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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  9. Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods.

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  10. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  11. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

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  12. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2

  13. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  14. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

  15. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  16. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  17. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  18. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩1↩2↩3

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