Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Friday - October 17, 2014
From: Weatherford, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification, Vines
Title: Identification of a vine with red berries in Weatherford, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I have found a vine with red berries that I would appreciate an ID for. How can I send you a photo or two of it?ANSWER:
If you found your vine growing somewhere in the wild, the most likely identification for it is the native Cocculus carolinus (Carolina snailseed).
If you found the vine growing in or near someone's garden, it could possibly be Lycium barbarum (Matrimony vine or Goji berry), a native of China and other parts of Asia. It is a vining shrub with red berries—goji berries—that are purported to act as antioxidants and it has other medicinal qualities. It is reported as occurring in Parker County by the USDA Plants Database. Here are photos and more information from the Institute for Traditional Medicine and from Montana Plant Life.
These two are the only vines with red berries reported to be in Parker County, Texas. If neither of these is the vine you saw, please visit our Plant Identification page to links to several plant identification forums that will accept photos of plants for identification.
From the Image Gallery
More Vines Questions
Need a vine to cover a 8' cinder block wall in Fullerton, CA.
August 23, 2010 - Hi- I have a 8' cinder block wall that gets full sun, and need to find either a flowering shrub that would cover, or a vine that wouldn't be to hard to manage, or would not need to
use a trellis....
view the full question and answer
Can you root a crossvine?
May 31, 2009 - Can you root a crossvine?
view the full question and answer
Unusual vine in San Diego County, California
May 12, 2012 - Dear Mr. or Ms. Smarty Pants,
I came across an unusual vine winding through a young Zumaque growing off the edge of a mesa in San Diego (coastal sage scrub). The small (fingernail-sized)leaves rough...
view the full question and answer
Need a native vine to grow on a fence next to a horse pasture in Kerrville, TX.
May 01, 2013 - I have a wooden fence between my yard and the horse pasture. I would like to plant a native Texas vine (grapevine, honeysuckle, etc.) to cover the fence that will be evergreen and showy, but one that ...
view the full question and answer
Evergreen vine for Lake Jackson, Texas
March 06, 2009 - I have some lattice for privacy that I would like to cover with an evergreen vine or ivy. One is facing to the west, the other to the east. What would you suggest?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |