cat greenbrier
Smilax glauca
  • FAMILY: SMILACACEAE
  • ALTERNATE COMMON NAME:
  • LEAVES: semi-persistent; 1.5-4 inches long, 1.25-3.0 inches wide; green upper surface, white or glaucus lower surface; upper surface may be blotchy; 3, rarely 5 main veins
  • FLOWER: May to June; small, inconspicuous axillary peduncles
  • FRUIT: black berry; ripens in first year; 2-3 seeds; peduncle much longer than petiole
  • TWIGS: cane is green or mottled brown; many spines between nodes; up to 6 spines at each node; high climbing vine
  • BARK:
  • FORM:
  • HABITAT: moist sites
  • WETLAND DESIGNATION: Facultative (FAC): Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region
  • RANGE:
  • USES: applies to the genus: important deer, cattle, and rabbit browse; stems are 5-10% of deer diet; wood ducks, turkey, song birds eat berries
  • Best Recognition Features:
    1. elliptic leaf, 3 main veins, white lower surface
    2. numerous spines at base of stem
    3. spines at nodes

    COMMENTS: This is a difficult genus, with at least 8 species in Louisiana, and 15 to 20 in the southeast, 21 to 24 species in US.