Smilex Vines in my gardens - Greenbrier

I first met the prickly vine growing behind my double propane gas tanks in 1972 when I bought my first house on Long Island in North Babylon. It never took over the area and quietly remains there 50 years later.

And now I've discovered that I have it at my other house growing up an old Silver Maple tree.  Curious that another unwelcomed plant has followed me to the home I grew up in and bought after my Mother died. So last Autumn I picked the berries and a few leaves and saved then in a small bowl.  Hmmm  Am I supposed to grow these?  Eat them? 

Dried seeds and leaves found growing on my Silver Maple tree in 2021.

Here I am a year later studying them after I first began studying Sarsaparilla this morning, in the Smilex family, as well. 

Smilax is becoming popular. Smilax is an edible wild plant. All parts of the plant are nutritious and delicious. Smilax vines in the garden can provide a unique food source while adding natural beauty. The vines are cover and fodder for numerous wild birds and animals.  Here the opossum, catbird, robin, cardinal, sparrows eat them. Its tubers, stems, leaves, and berries can all be used in various recipes. I'll get to that later. 

What is Smilax? Smilax is also known as greenbrier and occasionally carrion vine, due to its intense, slightly unpleasant scent. Other names for the plant include catbrier, bamboo vine, and Jackson vine. It is a common forage food found along the east coast of the United States. Smilax plant uses throughout history range from food to medicinal. Smilax information references indicate its potential use to treat dementia and Alzheimer’s. Numerous clinical trials indicate it may have a range of medical uses as a natural remedy. There are around 300 known species in the genus Smilax. 

The known and used form in the eastern and southern part of the U.S. is a briar vine. It is one of the few twining vines that bears thorns. In fact, Smilax roots were made into a pipe, hence the name for a pipe bowl was “brier.” 

 The plant prefers moist woods and is often seen climbing trees. Plants can also grow in slightly dry conditions and will become a literal briar patch if there is nothing but itself upon which to climb. Smilax is an extremely vigorous plant with pinkish bamboo-like vines bearing small thorns. Leaves vary by species and may be lance, heart shaped or oblong, shiny, and leathery.   It has tendrils that sprout from the leaf axil. This vine has small, green flowers in the spring, and a blue-black berry from late summer into the spring.

It has thick knobby, white roots and bears tiny insignificant flowers. In late summer, flowers develop into smooth, round berries that start out green and mature to black, although some species have red berries. Using greenbrier vines in the garden is best left to large spaces, as the plant has a tendency to take over. As an ornamental is probably more trouble than it’s worth. However, with careful management, the plant can be a beneficial addition to the wild, native garden. The plant will scramble up anything that is nearby, making it useful to hide an old fence while creating a natural space for animals and birds. It's roots help stabilize soil and create homes for wild animals. For the foraging gardener, Smilax vines in the garden as part of an edible landscape provides numerous food options for vegetarians, vegans, or simply natural food enthusiasts. NOTE: Before planting anything in your garden, it is always important to check if a plant is invasive in your particular area.

 Smilax can be made into numerous recipes. The young shoots are excellent eaten raw or as you would asparagus. They can be pinched off of the vine, just above the first thorn, and eaten on the spot; or they can be collected and then steamed or boiled. They have a flavor kind of like green beans. They are as good as asparagus, in salad, and cooked by using the young shoots, leaves, and tendrils. If the rootstocks of these vines are crushed and washed, the red powder can be boiled in water to make a mild jelly. 

                                        Green brier shoots in Spring 

Berries are delicious raw or cooked into a jam or jelly. Roots can be ground, dried, and used like flour. The roots can also be used like any root vegetable– boiled, stewed, or roasted. Roots were also ground and used in Sarsaparilla or as an addition to flavor root beer. Additionally, they were used to thicken soups, sauces, and stews. Young leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked like spinach. This beneficial plant has a host of health benefits, being high in vitamins and starch as well as several important minerals.

Native Americans used greenbrier to treat urinary infections and joint pain. In the past, the perennial vine also was used to treat gout and skin diseases. Greenbrier tea was sipped to alleviate joint pain.

As I study one plant at a time, I'm always diverted to the insects and animals that need them.  Green brier is the host plant to a rare very small butterfly called the harvester.  I have been trying to ID a small butterfly I saw on my plants in the rain garden.  The swamp milkweed has some sticky copper colored aphids on them.  I am excited.  Could I have accidently discovered the name of this small butterfly?  I have to observe more as soon as my right leg heals from August 29th surgery. 

The more you learn, the more you learn. 

to be continued.

https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/harvester_butterfly.htm

Isn't Mother Nature just fascinating?