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Sunday - September 04, 2011

From: Wendell, MA
Region: Northeast
Topic: Plant Identification, Edible Plants, Medicinal Plants
Title: Identifying a plant similar to sarsaparilla
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I am trying to identify a plant that looks very similar to sasparilla, but has a ring of blue berries at the end of a long stalk, and the plant itself is spreading, not an isolated herb like sasparilla. I found it in abundance by the side of a pond in open sun.

ANSWER:

First of all, sarsaparilla, the drink featured in Western movies, was made from the roots of plants in the Genus Smilax. It is also considered a medicinal plant with many different uses. Its roots are also used as a flavoring in root beer. Smilax spp. occurring in Central and South America are often the source of the medicinal sarsaparilla. However, there are several species of Smilax in North America. Smilax spp. belong to the Family Liliaceae (Lily Family). Just to complicate matters, there is another genus of plants, Aralia, that has the common name of "sarsaparilla". Many times these are called "false sarsaparilla". Aralia spp. are in the Family Araliaceae (Ginseng Family) and their roots have been used as a substitute for the sarsaparilla that comes from the roots of Smilax spp.

There are four plants with the common name of sarsaparilla in our Native Plant Database. They belong to two different genera:

Aralia hispida (Bristly sarsaparilla) occurs in Massachusetts and here are photos and more information.
Aralia nudicaulis (Wild sarsaparilla) occurs in Massachusetts and here are more photos.

Smilax pumila (Sarsaparilla vine), but the USDA Plants Database distribution map for this one does not show it occuring in Massachusetts.
Smilax glauca (cat greenbrier) occurs in Massachusetts and is also called sarsaparilla. Here are more photos.

Now, depending on which one you are referring to as sarsaparilla, here are some native possibilities for the look-alike plant. If you consider either Aralia nudicaulus or Aralia hispida to be sarsaparilla, here are other Aralia spp. that occur in Massachusetts. Although their common names don't include "sarsaparilla", they do resemble those of their genus that are called sarsaparilla.

Aralia racemosa (American spikenard) and here are more photos.
Aralia spinosa (Devil's walkingstick) and here are more photos.

Here is another Aralia sp. that occurs in Massachusetts that is not native to North America:

Aralia elata (Japanese angelica tree) from Eurasia and considered to be invasive. Here are photos and more information.

If you consider Smilax pumila or Smilax glauca to be sarsaparilla, here are other Smilax spp. that occur in Massachusetts. Although their common names don't include "sarsaparilla", they do resemble those of their genus that are called sarsaparilla.

Smilax herbacea (Smooth carrionflower) and here are more photos and more information.
Smilax rotundifolia (Roundleaf greenbrier) and here are photos.
Smilax tamnoides (bristly greenbrier) and here are photos.

Here are other Smilax spp. that occur in states adjacent to Massachusetts:

Smilax pulverulenta (downy carrionflower) occurs in New York and Rhode Island.
Smilax pseudochina (bamboo vine) occurs in new York.

And then there is Sassafras albidum (Sassafras), a tree that grows in Massachusetts up to 35 feet high and whose roots are used to flavor root beer and this flavoring is often confused with sarsaparilla.

Hopefully, you can find your plant in one of the above. If it isn't there and you have photos of it, you can visit our Plant Identification page to find links to plant identification forums that accept photos for identification.