Common Greenbrier
Smilax rotundifolia
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Common greenbrier grows from eastern Texas and eastern Oklahoma, east to northern Florida, and north to southern Ontario and Nova Scotia. This is similar to its native range. It's commonly found in forests with sandy, dry to moist soils.
Fruit: A 1/4" wide blue-black berry covered in a bloom. Each berry contains 1-3 seeds.
Flowers: A 1/4" greenish-white flower arranged in umbels of 3-20 flowers. Common greenbrier is a dioecious species. The flowers bloom from April to June.
Uses: The shoots and leaves can be cooked and eaten. The roots can be used a thickening agent or cooked, dried, and ground into a powder and used in cakes and puddings. A soft drink can also be made from the roots.
Ethnobotany: Prickles have been rubbed on the skin as a counter-irritant to relieve pain, muscle cramps, and twitching. Leaves have been used to dress wounds, both when powdered and when wilted. Leaves and stems have been made into a tea to treat rheumatism and stomach problems.
Importance to wildlife: Wildlife eat the fruit and leaves. It can also provide shelter for birds and small mammals.
The full common greenbrier plant growing along a tree. The red marking to the left of the tree shows how high the greenbrier reaches. Greenbrier can spread or climb up to 20 feet.
The tendrils of the greenbrier wrapping around another tree.
The leaves of a greenbrier. Leaves are palmately veined, with principal veins curving to be nearly parallel to the leaf margin.
A prickle on a greenbrier. These prickles are green at base and dark brown to black at the tip.
The fruit of a greenbrier. The ones in this photo are still young and are therefore light green, but they will be dark blue or black when ripe.
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