Nephroia carolina
Carolina snailseed
Southeastern and south-central United States
Overview
Nephroia carolina, formerly Cocculus carolinus, is a twining perennial vine of the moonseed family, climbing 8-15 feet (2.4-4.6 m) over fences, shrubs, and small trees from a woody base. The leaves are variable, broadly heart-shaped to shallowly lobed, 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) long, with a soft, downy underside. Plants are dioecious; in summer they bear loose clusters of small greenish-white flowers that are easy to overlook. Female vines ripen showy clusters of glossy, bright red drupes in fall, each holding a single seed coiled like a snail shell, the source of the names snailseed and coralbead. The fruit persists into winter and is eaten by birds, which spread the seed. The vine grows fast and resprouts from a deep root after the top is cut or frosted, forming dense tangles in favorable sites. It tolerates heat, drought, and a range of soils but can become weedy, twining over and shading nearby plants.
Native Range
Native to the southeastern and south-central United States and northeastern Mexico, from Virginia and Florida west to Kansas and Texas. It grows in woodland edges, thickets, fencerows, and stream banks, often on rich or sandy soils.Suggested Uses
Grown on fences, trellises, and arbors for its fall display of red berries, spaced 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) apart. It is also used in native and wildlife plantings, where birds feed on the fruit.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8' - 15'
Width/Spread3' - 6'
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Small greenish-white flowers open in loose clusters in summer, roughly June to August, on separate male and female vines. The flowers are inconspicuous and easy to miss. Female vines follow with bright red berry clusters that ripen in fall.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to part shade on most well-drained soils, from sand to clay and loam, at a pH of 5.5-7.5. It tolerates heat and drought once the deep root is established and needs little water. Rich, moist soil and sun produce vigorous, sometimes aggressive growth that can smother nearby plants. It is grown from seed or root cuttings and resprouts strongly after cutting or frost. In zones 6-10 the root survives winter while the top dies back in colder areas. A support such as a fence or trellis is needed for the twining stems.Pruning
Cut back twining stems through the growing season to control spread and keep them off neighboring plants. Remove frost-killed top growth in late winter, when the vine resprouts from the root. Digging out the deep root is needed for full removal, as cut roots resprout.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
winter