I let it grow up a trellis and around an old wooden bird house that's mounted there. I think it has very pretty leaves and the red berries right now are a big plus. Now that the berries are in season I notice the vine on fences around the neighborhood and in the woods. I don't find a problem with it at all. So I'd say go ahead and grow it :-)

You probably saw Carolina Moonseed vine. It does grow in TX.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1372889}}

Thank you roselee and plantmaven. The pretty vine seems to be the poisonous cocculus carolinus instead of edible smilax greenbriar. At least the pretty carolina moonseed seems to be better behaved than the wild smilax greenbriar!

I'll check the pretty vine and its seeds against the carolina moonseed information and against the greenbriar information again.

Cocculus carolinus is what I have too. The mention of red berries confused me -- must be my age ;-) One hundred sixty four is getting up there!

Anyway, here it's an easy to grow graceful mannerly vine.

I don't think it's crazy to want Smilax, certain species are really nice looking. I especially like S. smallii and S. glauca. I know at least S. smallii is virtually thornless on the upper branches.

This vine is in my house's easement behind the back fence growing up the hackberries. I like the red berries too. The kind here doesn't have thorns. I think they are festive but I wouldn't let them lose in any kind of "real" flower bed. As aggressive as my plants tend to be they'd be smothered by this stuff.

Cocculus carolinus totally HATE this vine, redberries or not, food for wildlife or not it is by far the worst weed in my yard. 20 years later & I've not made a dent in it, nothing kills this crap.
TallyHO!

Your no freeze weather doesn't knock them back Ms. Tally. The price for being able to grow Jacarandas. Not that I'm jealous or anything :).

Re: smilax - did you know that you can buy it for greenery to cover arches, columns, etc., at special events? I think I'm missing an opportunity here.

Here is a link that might be useful: East Texas Smilax

I had no idea, Lin, I am a millionaire overnight...thanks!!!

We all have our foibles! So if you want to grow the vine, DO it! You should see some of the things I grow...including Cocculus carolinus. Now, Smilax species...that pops up just fine without anyone growing it on purpose.

The folks I bought my house from apparently dumped the cat litter out back on the hill, just above my new rose garden. I was digging in the aged litter to see if anything would grow there, and I found the HUGEST bulbs from smilax that I had ever seen. Too bad I didn't think to keep them to propagate more of this money-making plant.

(that's my size-8 shoe for size comparisons)

Wow, Lin, guess I would not have been "pulling" that one out with my hands. That one alone should net you a pretty penny.

Wow! That is huge. Do the berries stay on the plant, or better yet, stay red if it's cut? They'd look great in a Christmas wreath. Ninety bucks for a plant that volunteers aggresively everywhere. Those folks are smarter n me!

PJ, I try to get mine out before they form berries - I don't want them spread! And I think it's $90 for a bale of the vine, not for a plant.

The greenery WOULD look nice in a wreath, though ...

The vines are really flexible too. Spreading berries are a concern by the front door. Fake berries may have to do here. This will be a first time project but there's nothing to lose but a bit of time.

I wonder if the company that sells the bales of greenery is actually selling thorny smilax or Cocculus carolinus?

The vines here are the thornless Cocculus carolinus. The actual smilax is too thorny to work with! I just go with the lazy common name.

Roselee, the place in east Texas looks to sell real smilax - if you let the photos cycle through there's a close-up and it looks like the thorny stuff on my property.

This is the type we used in a wedding a few weeks ago. It was ordered by a large commercial florist straight from the grower. I don’t know the actual type, just smilax. I handled it glove free and no pricks... It is very popular right now in Floral design, especially on large floral displays like these. First pic is A close up of the smilax before everything else went on. I’m wanting to grow it also... and looking for the type as well. I’m guessing s smalii.

Smalli is the glue floral Jackson vine version with stems at the base only. Anyone know where I could get the tubers? There is a bog grower in Mississippi and another on north Alabama but I can’t find the. Let me know Mitch Green 256-572-0272 mobile

I have! I use them for food. They are a delicious, and healthy vegetable, very similar to asparagus, but even better. It is an asparagoid. That they are so hated just shows how simple the minds are of those who enforce our value judgements! Azaleas, for example, have a pretty flower, but are very poisonous, and even make poison honey by bees that pollinate them! Yet we grow them with love. Smilax is harsh and thorny for sure, but make for great hedge rows, and are a vegetable that many are unfortunate enough not to try! Similar grows just fine in an urban world. For those interested in self sustaining life styles, similar is a must! It is high in fiber and many vitamins and minerals, vitamin c being one of them! Contains all the nutrition of domestic asparagus, but much more of it! Larger, old growth plants are best for their succulent asparagus like shoots. The soft leaves can be cooked like spinach, but the flavor is definitely asparagus. We spend top dollar for food of unknown origin! Stupid considering you know what you have done to your lawn! Roots may also be used as food, or in making saspirilla tea. Saspirilla is a certain variety of similar, but they all are basically the same! One of my favorite plants!!! Shouldn't forget about the arts and crafts that can be made from trained vines. Aside from running headfirst into one, I have nothing but good to say! That many try to eradicate them is abominable to me! They, and many other wild plants, are the bulk of my daily diet, and so much better than domestic produce! Many props to you! Let it grow!!!

Has anyone evwr grown smilax smalii from seed? how do you do it? im not having luck