Smilax herbacea (Carrion Flower) – Identification
Q: In early October at Ft. Mountain State Park I saw the most beautiful berry clusters on a vine in a tree near the picnic tables.
The clusters look like tiny blueberries. The vines had what looked like small grape leaves.
A: My multi-talented (faux painting artist, garden designer, native plant expert) friend Shannon Pable says it is smooth carrion flower, Smilax herbacea.
The flowers smell like a dead animal. This attracts flies, which are the major pollinator. Pollination is important because plants are either male or female (dioecious); female plants produce blue-black berries.
Most smilax vines are horribly thorny but this one is not.
See:
-
-
-
1
Poinsettia – Forcing to Bloom for Christmas
-
2
Insecticide – Homemade Recipe
-
3
Fertilizers- Annuals
-
4
Liquid Fertilizer – Time of year
-
5
Bulbs – When to Plant in Fall
-
1
White Grub – Control in Lawns
-
2
Hickory – Using Nuts to BBQ
-
3
Asparagus Fern
-
4
Ground Cherry – Identification
-
5
Poinsettia – Forcing to Bloom for Christmas
-
