Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Smilacaceae

Genus:

Smilax

Species:

Smilax ornata

USDA Symbol:

SMRE2

Growth Characteristics

Height:

500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

white, green

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

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:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

30–180 days

Notes:

Smilax seeds have hard seed coats and embryo dormancy; scarification followed by cold stratification improves germination, which can be erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI