Smilax maritima: Country Or Region Of Origin
SE. U.S.A. to E. Texas
Plant Profile: Smilax maritima
Names
Bamboo Vine, Jacksonbrier, Jacksonvine, Lanceleaf Greenbrier, Southern Smilax
Phonetic Spelling:SMY-laks muh-RIT-tim-muh
Genus:Smilax
Species:maritima
Family:Smilacaceae
A native evergreen vine belonging to the green briar family, this perennial woody plant is characterized by its ability to twine and climb using tendrils. Unlike other species in its genus, it is less aggressive, has fewer prickles, and does not climb as high. Its glossy evergreen leaves are popular among florists for use in floral arrangements. The upper sections of the vine are mostly free of prickles, making them easy to handle. This plant thrives in the coastal plains stretching from the Southeast to Texas and prefers acidic, moist soils with full to partial sunlight.
**Quick Identification**
Smilax maritima Feature Summary
Tags
#perennial
#showy leaves
#tendrils
#spring flowers
#prickles
#small mammals
#moist soil
#trellises
#climbing vines
#summer flowers
#coastal plants
#native vine
#acidic soil tolerant
#screening
#black fruits
#fantz
#twining vine
#sandy soils tolerant
#bird friendly
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#non-toxic for cats
Similar Plants
Smilax maritima is often confused with:
Smilax maritima Feature Summary
Attributes
SE. U.S.A. to E. Texas
AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , OK , SC , TX , VA
Fruits are eaten by birds and mammals
The tuber is edible
Perennial
Woody
Twining
Tendrils
Fruit
Glaucus purple black berries on long stalks with 2-3 seeds
Berry
Purple/Lavender
Black
Fall
Winter
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
Axillary umbles of 5-8 tiny green-yellow flowers.
Gold/Yellow
Green
Spring
Summer
6 petals/rays
Tepals
< 1 inch
Leaves
3-4 inch long and 1-2 inches wide glabrous leaves, small amount of hair, simple, entire margins, alternate oblaceolate to oblong with three prominate veins.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Simple
Alternate
Oblong
Oblanceolate
Entire
3-6 inches
Glossy
Showy
Good Cut
1-3 inches
Bark
Green, turning greenish-brown on older stems.
Dark Brown
Green
Stem
Zig-zag green stems become orange-red near the base. Usually smooth glaborus but sometimes have prickles.
Green
Round
Smooth (glabrous)
Zig Zags
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Vine
Broadleaf Evergreen
Climbing
Medium
Prickles
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Moist
Coastal
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Sand
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Screen/Privacy
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Coastal
Vertical Spaces
Smilax maritima Image Gallery
Smilax maritima Attributes
Smilax maritima: Distribution
AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , OK , SC , TX , VA
Smilax maritima: Wildlife Value
Fruits are eaten by birds and mammals
Smilax maritima: Edibility
The tuber is edible
Smilax maritima: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Smilax maritima: Climbing Method
Clinging
Scrambler
Tendrils
Twining
Smilax maritima Fruit
Smilax maritima: Fruit Description
Glaucus purple black berries on long stalks with 2-3 seeds
Smilax maritima: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Smilax maritima: Fruit Color
Black
Purple/Lavender
Smilax maritima: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Smilax maritima: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Smilax maritima: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Smilax maritima Flowers
Smilax maritima: Flower Description
Axillary umbles of 5-8 tiny green-yellow flowers.
Smilax maritima: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Smilax maritima: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Smilax maritima: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Smilax maritima: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Smilax maritima: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Smilax maritima Leaves
Smilax maritima: Leaf Description
3-4 inch long and 1-2 inches wide glabrous leaves, small amount of hair, simple, entire margins, alternate oblaceolate to oblong with three prominate veins.
Smilax maritima: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Smilax maritima: Leaf Color
Green
Smilax maritima: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Smilax maritima: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Smilax maritima: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Smilax maritima: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Smilax maritima: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Smilax maritima: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Smilax maritima: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Smilax maritima: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Smilax maritima: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Smilax maritima Bark
Smilax maritima: Bark Description
Green, turning greenish-brown on older stems.
Smilax maritima: Bark Color
Dark Brown
Green
Smilax maritima Stem
Smilax maritima: Stem Description
Zig-zag green stems become orange-red near the base. Usually smooth glaborus but sometimes have prickles.
Smilax maritima: Stem Color
Green
Smilax maritima: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Smilax maritima: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Smilax maritima: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Smilax maritima: Stem Form
Straight
Zig Zags
Smilax maritima Whole Plant Traits
Smilax maritima: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Smilax maritima: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Smilax maritima: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Smilax maritima: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Smilax maritima: Appendage
Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns
Smilax maritima Cultural Conditions
Smilax maritima: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Smilax maritima: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Smilax maritima: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Smilax maritima: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Smilax maritima: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Smilax maritima: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Smilax maritima Landscape
Smilax maritima: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Smilax maritima: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Smilax maritima: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
