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Smilax china
  • China Root

a deciduous member of the Smilax genus in the family Smilacaceae.

Niche
  • Climber
    Climber
    There are no details available for this niche.
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • light shade
    Light shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 6
    Zone 6
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Smilax china has 0 edible uses listed
Smilax china has 0 material uses listed
Smilax china has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Root - cooked[1][2][3]. Rich in starch[4], the large and fleshy roots can be dried and ground into a powder[5]. The root is harvested by severing larger roots near the crown and leaving the smaller roots to grow on[6].

Young shoots and leaves - raw or cooked[2][7][3][8]. Used as a potherb[9]. The leaves are said to contain rutin, but no details of quantity were given[10]. Fruit - raw. Eaten to quench the thirst[2][3][9]. The fruit is about 9mm in diameter[11].

A tea is made from the leaves[3][8][9].

Fruit

Unknown use

Leaves

Unknown use

Root

Unknown use

Unknown part

Rutin
Tea

Material uses

A yellow dye is made from the root and leaves when alum is used as a mordant[1][12]. With iron sulphate, the colour is brown[1].

Unknown part

Dye

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The root is alterative, antiscrophulatic, carminative, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic and tonic[13][1][5][14][15][12][10]. It is considered useful when taken internally in the treatment of old syphilitic cases and is also used for certain skin diseases, including psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, enteritis, urinary tract infections, skin ulcers etc[1][6]. Large doses can cause nausea and vomiting, which is valuable in weakened and depraved conditions due to a poisoned state of the blood[1]. The root is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use.

Unknown part

Alterative
Antiscrophulatic
Carminative
Depurative
Diaphoretic
Diuretic
Skin
Tonic
VD

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Climber

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - sow March in a warm greenhouse[13]. 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[6]. 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[6].

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Smilax china. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Succeeds in most well-drained soils in sun or semi-shade[11].

Hardy to about -15°c[11]. A climbing plant, supporting itself by means of tendrils and thorns as it scrambles through small trees and shrubs. A young plant is growing and thriving close to a west-facing wall at Kew Botanical gardens[K]. This species is not the true 'China root' of medicine, see the record for S. pseudo-china[12].

Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Smilax china. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Smilax china.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Smilax china
Genus
Smilax
Family
Smilacaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
Medicinal uses
[13][1][5][14][15][12][10][6]
Material uses & Functions
[1][12]
Botanic
[5][11][16]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
6
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
light shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
    Ecosystems
    Native Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Adapted Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Native Geographical Range
    None listed.
    Native Environment
    None listed.
    Ecosystem Niche
    Climber
    Root Zone Tendancy
    None listed.
    Life
    Deciduous or Evergreen
    deciduous
    Herbaceous or Woody
    ?
    Life Cycle
    ?
    Growth Rate
    ?
    Mature Size
    4.5 x meters
    Fertility
    self sterile
    Pollinators
    ?
    Flower Colour
    ?
    Flower Type
    dioecious











    References

    1. ? 1.01.11.21.31.41.51.61.71.8 Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 (1984-00-00)
    2. ? 2.02.12.22.3 Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing (1976-00-00)
    3. ? 3.03.13.23.33.4 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)
    4. ? 4.04.1 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)
    5. ? 5.05.15.25.35.4 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)
    6. ? 6.06.16.26.36.46.5 Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. ISBN 0-7513-020-31 (1995-00-00)
    7. ? 7.07.1 McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press ISBN 0-253-28925-4 (1977-00-00)
    8. ? 8.08.18.2 Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre (1977-00-00)
    9. ? 9.09.19.29.3 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
    10. ? 10.010.110.210.3 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (1985-00-00)
    11. ? 11.011.111.211.311.4 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
    12. ? 12.012.112.212.312.4 Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre ()
    13. ? 13.013.113.2 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
    14. ? 14.014.1 ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X ()
    15. ? 15.015.1 Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants. ()
    16. ? [Flora of China] (1994-00-00)

    Cite error: <ref> tag with name "PFAFimport-58" defined in <references> is not used in prior text.


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    Facts about "Smilax china"RDF feed
    Article is incompleteYes +
    Article requires citationsNo +
    Article requires cleanupYes +
    Belongs to familySmilacaceae +
    Belongs to genusSmilax +
    Has common nameChina Root +
    Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
    Has edible partFruit +, Leaves +, Root + and Unknown part +
    Has edible useUnknown use +, Rutin + and Tea +
    Has fertility typeSelf sterile +
    Has flowers of typeDioecious +
    Has hardiness zone6 +
    Has material partUnknown part +
    Has material useDye +
    Has mature height4.5 +
    Has medicinal partUnknown part +
    Has medicinal useAlterative +, Antiscrophulatic +, Carminative +, Depurative +, Diaphoretic +, Diuretic +, Skin +, Tonic + and VD +
    Has search namesmilax china + and x +
    Has shade toleranceLight shade +
    Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
    Has soil teclayture preferenceClay +
    Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
    Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
    Has sun preferenceFull sun +
    Has taxonomy nameSmilax china +
    Has water requirementsmoderate +
    Inhabits ecosystem nicheClimber +
    Is deciduous or evergreenDeciduous +
    Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
    Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
    Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +