catbrier Smilacaceae Smilax
|Leaf: Alternate, simple, parallel veined, oblong to narrowly cordate, 2 to 4 inches long, green or variegated with pale patches above, whitened beneath.
Flower: Small and greenish-yellow, in clusters appearing in late spring to early summer.
Fruit: Dark blue to nearly black berries covered with glaucous bloom, occur in clusters, 1/3 inch in diameter.
Twig: Slender, round, green and often covered with a white waxy bloom, prickles weak, tendrils present.
Bark: Greenish brown becoming discolored with age.
Form: A climbing vine.
Looks like: saw greenbrier
- laurel greenbrier
- common greenbrier
- bristly greenbrier
| Additional Range Information:
Smilax glauca is native to North America.
Range may be expanded by planting.
See states reporting catbrier.
| External Links:
USDA Plants Database
|© Copyright 2015, Virginia Tech|
Dept. of Forest Resources
and Environmental Conservation,
all rights reserved.
Photos and text by: John Seiler,
Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera,
and John Peterson