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| Cat-brier, Zarzaparrilla, Saw Greenbrier, Fiddle-leaf Greenbrier, China-brier, Bull-brier, Tramp's-trouble, Stretch-berry, Catbriar, Fringed Greenbrier
Smilax bona-nox
Smilacaceae
Cat-brier inhabits thickets, dry woods, roadsides and fields of Texas, east to Florida, north to Massachusetts and Nebraska and south into Mexico and the Bahamas. This rampant vine with slender underground stolons can stay low and rambling or climb extensively by tendrils. It has stout four-angled canes sporting green, black or brown spines at the nodes and internodes. The leaves, which are greatly variable in shape, remain evergreen on the vine through most of the winter in its southern range. Cat-brier fruit is enjoyed by thirteen species of birds, including ruffled grouse. It also provides cover for wildlife. On disturbed sites it is useful as a revegetation plant.
Plant Habit or Use: vine
Exposure: partial sun shade
Flower Color: green
Blooming Period: spring
Fruit Characteristics: black berry
Height: 20 feet
Width: 6 feet
Plant Character: deciduous semievergreen
Heat Tolerance: high
Water Requirements:
Soil Requirements: neutral alkaline
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5
Additional Comments:
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