Smilax australis
austral sarsaparilla
Eastern Australia, New Guinea, and Southeast Asia
Overview
Smilax australis is a woody, prickly climber that scrambles into the forest canopy to 8 m (26 ft) or more. The wiry green stems carry scattered recurved prickles and bear paired tendrils near the leaf bases. Alternate leaves are ovate to broadly elliptic, 5-12 cm (2-5 in) long and 3-9 cm (1.2-3.5 in) wide, leathery and glossy dark green, marked by three to seven prominent longitudinal veins with a network of smaller veins between. Plants are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate individuals. Small greenish-cream flowers are borne in stalked umbels in spring and summer. Female plants produce globular berries 6-10 mm (0.25-0.4 in) across that ripen from green to black, each holding one to three hard seeds. The species grows along rainforest margins, in gallery forest, and in wet sclerophyll forest in moist, fertile soils. Limitation: the recurved prickles catch on skin and clothing, and the vigorous stems can climb over and smother smaller plants.
Native Range
Eastern Australia, from Cape York in Queensland south through New South Wales to eastern Victoria, with populations also in New Guinea and parts of Southeast Asia. It grows in rainforest, gallery forest, and moist eucalypt forest.Suggested Uses
Grown in rainforest and bush-regeneration plantings, on fences and pergolas for screening, and in habitat gardens where the black berries draw fruit-eating birds. It suits shaded, moist positions.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height13' - 26'
Width/Spread3' - 6'
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
glossy dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-6 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