Common Name: Laurel Greenbrier

General Information

Smilax laurifolia is a viciously spiny, evergreen climbing shrub producing a cluster of branched stems from a tuberous rhizome; the stems can be 5 metres or more long. The plant can form extensive colonies[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food nd a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

South-eastern N. America - Oklahoma and Texas, east to Delaware and southern Florida; Caribbean - Bahamas, Cuba

Habitat

Swamps and low ground[]. Moist woods and thickets[]. Bays, bogs, pocosins, swamp margins, marshy banks[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	6.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most soils in sun or semi-shade[].
This species is not very hardy in Britain[]. It succeeds outdoors in S.W. England, but even there it is best when grown against a wall[].
The fruit takes two growing seasons to ripen[].
The stems have viscious thorns[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Root - cooked[, , , ]. Rich in starch[, ], it can be dried and ground into a powder to be used as a flavouring in soups etc or for making bread[]. The root can be up to 15cm thick[].

Young shoots - cooked. Used as an asparagus substitute[, , , ].

Medicinal

The stem prickles have been rubbed on the skin as a counter-irritant to relieve localised pains, muscle cramps and twitching[].

A tea made from the leaves and stems has been used in the treatment of rheumatism and stomach problems[].
The wilted leaves are applied as a poultice to boils[].

A tea made from the roots is used to help the expelling of afterbirth[]. Reports that the roots contain the hormone testosterone have not been confirmed, they might contain steroid precursors, however[].

The root bark is astringent and slightly tonic[]. An infusion of the root bark has been used as a wash in treating burns, sores and pox[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a warm greenhouse[]. 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[]. 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[]. 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[]. 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[].