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Smilax china - L.

Common Name China Root
Family Smilacaceae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Shrub thickets[147] in hills and mountains[58]. Forests, thickets, hillsides, grassy slopes, shaded places along valleys or streams from near sea level to 2000 metres[266].
Range E. Asia - China, Japan.
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (1 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (3 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Smilax china China Root


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Cory
Smilax china China Root
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Cory

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of climber
Smilax china is a deciduous Climber growing to 4.5 m (14ft 9in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). . The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit  Leaves  Root  Shoots
Edible Uses: Rutin  Tea

Root - cooked[4, 105, 177]. Rich in starch[2], the large and fleshy roots can be dried and ground into a powder[11]. The root is harvested by severing larger roots near the crown and leaving the smaller roots to grow on[238]. Young shoots and leaves - raw or cooked[105, 159, 177, 179]. Used as a potherb[183]. The leaves are said to contain rutin, but no details of quantity were given[218]. Fruit - raw. Eaten to quench the thirst[105, 177, 183]. The fruit is about 9mm in diameter[200]. A tea is made from the leaves[177, 179, 183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Alterative  Antipsoriatic  Antiscrophulatic  Carminative  Depurative  Diaphoretic  Diuretic  Skin  
Tonic  Urinary  VD

The root is alterative, antiscrophulatic, carminative, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic and tonic[1, 4, 11, 147, 174, 178, 218]. It is considered useful when taken internally in the treatment of old syphilitic cases and is also used for certain skin diseases, including psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, enteritis, urinary tract infections, skin ulcers etc[4, 238]. Large doses can cause nausea and vomiting, which is valuable in weakened and depraved conditions due to a poisoned state of the blood[4]. The root is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use.

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye

A yellow dye is made from the root and leaves when alum is used as a mordant[4, 178]. With iron sulphate, the colour is brown[4].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most well-drained soils in sun or semi-shade[200]. Hardy to about -15°c[200]. A climbing plant, supporting itself by means of tendrils and thorns as it scrambles through small trees and shrubs. A young plant is growing and thriving close to a west-facing wall at Kew Botanical gardens[K]. This species is not the true 'China root' of medicine, see the record for S. pseudo-china[178]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow March in a warm greenhouse[1]. This note probably refers to the tropical members of the genus, seeds of plants from cooler areas seem to require a period of cold stratification, some species taking 2 or more years to germinate[K]. We sow the seed of temperate species in a cold frame as soon as we receive it, and would sow the seed as soon as it is ripe if we could obtain it then[K]. When the seedlings eventually germinate, prick them out into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first year, though we normally grow them on in pots for 2 years. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in early spring as new growth begins[238]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer. Cuttings of half-ripe shoots, July in a frame[238].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: China, Korea, Japan (Hokkaidô, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku), Taiwan

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Smilax aristolochiifoliaMexican SarsaparillaPerennial Climber5.0 10-12 FLMHSNM240
Smilax asperaSarsaparilla, Rough bindweedClimber3.0 8-11  LMHSNM333
Smilax auriculataEarleaf GreenbrierClimber7.0 -  LMHSNM22 
Smilax bona-noxGreenbriar, Saw greenbrier, Dunes saw greenbrierClimber6.0 0-0  LMHSNM32 
Smilax cordifolia Perennial0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Smilax discotis Climber7.0 7-10  LMHSNM10 
Smilax febrifugaEcuadorian SarsaparillaClimber12.0 10-12 FLMHSNM340
Smilax glabratufulingClimber3.0 -  LMHSNM23 
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Smilax glyciphyllaSarsparillaClimber0.0 -  LMHSNM11 
Smilax herbaceaCarrion Flower, Smooth carrionflowerPerennial Climber2.5 4-8  LMHSNM412
Smilax hispidaHag BriarClimber15.0 4-8  LMHSNM22 
Smilax lanceifolia Climber2.0 -  LMHSNM21 
Smilax laurifoliaLaurel GreenbrierClimber6.0 7-10  LMHSNM320
Smilax nipponica Perennial Climber2.0 -  LMHSNM32 
Smilax officinalisHonduran sarsaparillaPerennial Climber25.0 10-12 FLMHSNM242
Smilax pseudochinaFalse China RootClimber2.0 -  LMHSNMWe32 
Smilax riparia Perennial Climber0.0 -  LMHSNM20 
Smilax rotundifoliaHorse Brier, Roundleaf greenbrier, BramblesClimber12.0 4-9 FLMHSNM320
Smilax sieboldii Climber2.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Smilax tamnoidesBristly GreenbrierClimber0.0 -  LMHSNM22 
Smilax trinervula Perennial1.0 -  LMHSNM10 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

11200266

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

maria bodner   Sat Apr 19 13:31:19 2003

I would be interested in some tubers or seed of Smilax china (I could not find some in Germany)and of Apios americana. Please tell me if it´s available and how I can pay (sent Euros in a letter?) I find your database very useful and I am searching and learning quite a lot (I´m working on a farm (organic) and we just start looking for more perennial plants)

My Adress: Maria Bodner Neubergstr. 24 D-97450 Arnstein E-Mail:[email protected]

Ken Fern, Plants for a Future   Fri Dec 28 2007

Although related to the medicinal sarsaparilla, this is a different species that has some similar uses. The true sarsaparilla is usually obtained from a number of Central American species, particularly Smilax regelii which grows in Honduras.

joseph stave   Thu Dec 27 2007

Is po-hsi ( smilax china) the same as sarsaparilla root? [email protected]

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