Sarsaparilla
Smilax aristolochiifolia
- Native to:
- Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico
Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen,Brandt, Wilhelm; Gürke, M.; Köhler, F. E.; Pabst, G.; Schellenberg, G.; Vogtherr, Max.,Hamilton, Edward,Andromeas
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Smilacaceae
- Genus:
- Smilax
- Species:
- Smilax aristolochiifolia
- USDA Symbol:
- SMAR
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 1500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- green, yellow
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes after fire disturbance.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers organic matter-rich environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 60–90 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Seeds have deep dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Germination can be erratic over multiple seasons.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI