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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Smilax herbacea (Smooth carrionflower)
Bengston, Bennie

Smilax herbacea

Smilax herbacea L.

Smooth Carrionflower, Carrionflower

Smilacaceae (Catbrier Family)

Synonym(s): Nemexia herbacea

USDA Symbol: SMHE

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

A vine with broad leaves and stalked round clusters of small, green, putrid-smelling flowers in leaf axils.

This attractive vine climbs over other vegetation by means of tendrils. The unpleasant-smelling flowers attract insects, especially carrion flies (hence the common name), which serve as pollinators. There are at least six species of Smilax in the East; all are thorny, green-stemmed, often evergreen vines that form tangled thickets. The most common are Greenbrier (S. rotundifolia), with heart-shaped leaves and stout thorns; Sawbrier (S. glauca), with heart-shaped leaves, a whitish bloom beneath, and weak spines; and Bullbrier (S. bona-nox), a southern and midwestern species with triangular leaves, stout thorns, and 4-sided stems.

 

From the Image Gallery

17 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Vine
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Dioecious
Fruit Type: Berry
Fruit: Purple, Blue

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green , Brown
Bloom Time: May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: MB , NB , ON , QC
Native Distribution: Ontario east to New Brunswick, south to Georgia, west to Louisiana and Oklahoma, and north to Kansas, Iowa, and Minnesota.
Native Habitat: Moist woods, thickets, and meadows.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Clay, Loam, Sand

Benefit

Use Wildlife: The bad-smelling flowers attract insects, especially carion flies, which serve as pollinators. (Niering)
Attracts: Birds

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FAC FAC FAC FAC
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Smilax herbacea in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Smilax herbacea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Smilax herbacea

Metadata

Record Modified: 2018-01-03
Research By: TWC Staff

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