Photo by Ruby Jung. All rights reserved.

Catbrier

The seven species of Catbrier (genus Smilax) in our area stubbornly retain their leaves even after frost kills most other species outright. Their leaves are just about the only color left in our woods come late November and December. Catbriers are those tough, clawing vines that shred clothes and scratch skin when pushing through woodland thickets. Their small blue berries appear in the fall just in time to feed the hordes of migrating birds and fuel their southward migration. Apart from acting as living barbed wire in our forests, the stems of these long (up to 30 feet) vines can be used in the manufacture of baskets - once the thorns are removed. Wear leather gloves and pull the vines backwards (fron the tip) through your closed hand.

Offsite link:

• A better photo of Catbrier appears at In my Garden

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