Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Smilacaceae

Genus:

Smilax

Species:

Smilax pumila

USDA Symbol:

SMPU

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Subshrub , Vine

Height:

30 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

sep,oct,nov

Bloom Colors:

yellow, green

Ground Cover:

Yes

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 following fire. Common in fire-maintained pine flatwoods and sandhills.

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-rich environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

30–365 days

Notes:

Seeds exhibit double dormancy and may take over a year to germinate. Warm stratification followed by cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI