Red-berried Swamp Smilax Smilax walteri
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Smilax china
- Phonetic Spelling
- SMIL-aks WAL-ter-ee
- Description
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Coral Greenbrier is a deciduous woody vine in the greenbrier family. It grows quickly from an elongated rhizome using tendrils. It is found along pond margins and stream banks, and other places that are submersed for at least part of the year. In nature, it is specifically found in swamp forests and bogs where it is submersed for at least part of the year. This plant is heat tolerant. This plant produces red berries that persist into winter and is the only North Carolina Smilax with red fruit.
The species is not self-fertile as individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. It spreads primarily by rhizomes.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Smilax
- Species:
- walteri
- Family:
- Smilacaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South-central, southeastern, and east-central United States
- Distribution:
- East Texas, east to Florida and north to Maryland and New Jersey
- Wildlife Value:
- Pollinators enjoy the nectar from the flowers. Birds and small mammals enjoy the berries as a food source.
- Climbing Method:
- Tendrils
- Dimensions:
- Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Prickles
- Tendrils
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Bright red, globular, shiny, berries remain on plant into the winter. They begin to display in the month of September and die down past November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Insignificant
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Yellow-brown flowers from April-May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves may be deciduous or semievergreen, ovate-oblong, to ovate-lanceolate, with 3 prominent veins, thin, 2-4" ×1-3", the base is rounded, subcordate, or, sometimes wedge-shaped at petiole insertion. The upper leaf surfaces are green with paler green lower surfaces
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are slender, woody, branching, glabrous with scattered prickles.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Pond
- Riparian
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heat
- Heavy Shade
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns