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Smilax glyciphylla

sweet sarsaparilla

Smilacaceae Eastern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Container Friendly

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Smilax glyciphylla is an evergreen climbing vine that scrambles 6-16 feet (2-5 m) into surrounding shrubs and trees by means of paired tendrils at the leaf bases. Stems are slender, wiry, and usually without prickles, unlike many relatives in the genus. Leaves are alternate, lance-shaped to oval, 1.6-4 inches (4-10 cm) long, glossy dark green above and paler below, with three to five prominent veins running from base to tip; new growth is often reddish. The leaves have a sweet taste. Small greenish to cream flowers appear in clusters in the leaf axils, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Female plants bear round black berries about 0.2-0.3 inch (5-8 mm) across that ripen in autumn and winter. The vine grows along rainforest margins, in wet sclerophyll forest, and in coastal scrub. Growth is moderate, the stems extending each season and dying back at the tips in hard frost. It climbs without becoming heavy enough to smother host plants.

Native Range

Smilax glyciphylla is native to eastern Australia, from Queensland through New South Wales to eastern Victoria. It grows on the margins of rainforest, in moist eucalypt forest, and in coastal heath and scrub, on a range of soils in sheltered, humid positions.

Suggested Uses

Smilax glyciphylla is grown on trellises, fences, and shrubs in shaded and rainforest-style gardens, spaced 3-5 feet (1-1.5 m) apart along a support. The sweet leaves are used fresh or dried as a herbal tea. Its scrambling habit suits informal screens but needs guidance on formal structures.

How to Identify

Recognised by slender, mostly prickle-free climbing stems with paired tendrils and glossy lance-shaped leaves 1.6-4 inches (4-10 cm) long marked with three to five veins running lengthwise. The leaves taste sweet, which separates it from similar vines. Distinguished from other Smilax spp. species by its smooth stems and sweet foliage, as most have prickly stems and bitter leaves.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 16'

Width/Spread3' - 6'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Spring Summer

Small greenish-cream flowers appear from spring into summer in axillary clusters. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants, so only female vines set fruit. Round black berries follow on female plants, ripening through autumn and winter.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Smilax glyciphylla grows in part shade to filtered light in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil with steady moisture. It tolerates full sun in cooler districts if the roots stay moist, and the stem tips are cut back by hard frost. A support of shrubs, trellis, or wire lets the tendrils climb, and without support the vine scrambles low over the ground. Established plants tolerate short dry spells but grow more strongly with mulch and regular water. Both male and female plants are needed for berries. Few pests affect it.

Pruning

Stems are cut back in late winter to control the spread and remove frost-damaged tips. The vine reshoots from lower stems and the base after hard pruning. Tangled or unwanted growth is thinned at any time during the growing season.