Smilax biflora var. biflora Brookgreen Gardens blooming from late spring well

blooming from late spring well into fall

the last surviving species of an ancient lineage that once ringed the Northern Hemisphere

needled presence the year round

as a lawn specimen

a specimen lawn

Smilax biflora var. biflora Brookgreen Gardens blooming from late spring wellThis curious little Smilax is one of the quieter treasures in the Woodlanders catalog, a deciduous groundcover built of fine, twiggy, interlacing stems and small leaves, so densely and geometrically branched that the plant earned the house name Chicken Wire Plant. A member of the greenbrier family, Smilacaceae, this dwarf relative of the climbing greenbriers trades the usual vining habit for a low, intricate, shrubby tangle. The plant carries a small