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Native 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 bona-nox (Saw greenbrier)
Marcus, Joseph A.

Smilax bona-nox L.

Saw greenbrier, Cat-brier, Saw greenbrier

Smilacaceae (Greenbrier Family)

USDA Symbol: smbo2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A prickly vine forming dense tangles in shrubby and wooded areas. Stems smooth, green, with stout, sharp prickles on the lower sections. Leaves with tendril-bearing petioles; blades up to 4 1/2 inches long and 4 inches wide, varying from triangular to heart shaped, often with a broad lobe on each side, firm textured and occasionally mottled on the upper surface, persisting into winter. Flowers small, rather inconspicuous, in clusters arising from the axils of the leaves, male and female on different plants, appearing from March to June. Fruit spherical, l/4 inch in diameter, fleshy, black.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Vine
Leaf Retention: Evergreen , Semi-evergreen
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Ovate
Fruit Type: Berry
Size Notes: Can grow into the tops of trees.
Leaf Color: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MS , MO , NJ , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Drought Tolerance: High
Heat Tolerant: yes

Benefit

Use Wildlife: The fruits of saw greenbrier are eaten by wood ducks, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, fish crows, black bears, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, and many species of songbirds. White-tailed deer browse the foliage. Provides cover for small animals and birds.
Use Other: The seeds are animal dispersed and can be carried long distances by birds.
Attracts: Birds
Deer Resistant: No

 

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Question: We have several large live oaks on the front of our 12 acre property in Hockley, Texas. Under and around each oak is an extensive amount of bramble which we would like to remove so that we can enjoy the trees without the thorns. Is there a safe way to remove the bramble without harming the shallow roots of the trees, and are there any grasses or groundcovers that we could plant once the bramble is removed?
click here to view the full question and answer

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Pineywoods Native Plant Center - Nacogdoches, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Patsy Glenn Refuge - Wimberley, TX
Nueces River Authority - Uvalde, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX

Bibliography

Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas (1979) Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston
Native & Naturalized Woody Plants of Austin & the Hill Country (1981) Lynch, D.

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-02-25
Research By: TWC Staff

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