Common Smilax Care
Smilax aspera
A thorny, evergreen native climber extremely tolerant of all conditions from sun to full shade and of drought. It is ideal for forming an impenetrable barrier, but it spreads very aggressively with its roots and branches and must be kept under control with regular, hard pruning.
Monthly care calendar
Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.
- Pruning: Main pruning time. To keep the plant under control, rejuvenate it, or reduce its size, it can be pruned very hard, even down to near ground level. Heavy gloves are essential.
- General care: Remove unwanted root suckers and the areas they have spread into.
- Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -12 °C.
- Pruning: Finish pruning work by the end of the month.
- General care: A suitable month for new plantings (be careful).
- Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -12 °C.
- Watering: Only for newly planted seedlings, 10-15 L/week if it stays dry; reduce if there is rain.
- Pruning: Prune just before the shoots break. Because flowers form on this year's new shoots, hard pruning increases flowering.
- General care: New shoots begin to grow rapidly. Pull out immediately those that come up in unwanted places.
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
- Pruning: Guide fast-growing shoots onto a support or cut off the unwanted ones.
- General care: This is a period of vigorous growth.
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
- Pruning: Pruning can continue.
- General care: Spread a 5-7 cm layer of mulch over the root zone; it retains soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not pile mulch against the trunk.
- Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The area around the roots should be wetted to a depth of 20-30 cm.
- Pruning: Pruning can be continued to control its spread.
- Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The area around the roots should be wetted to a depth of 20-30 cm.
- Pruning: Pruning can continue.
- General care: Keep it in a position sheltered from midday sun; scorching at the leaf edges is a sign of burn.
- Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The area around the roots should be wetted to a depth of 20-30 cm.
- Pruning: Pruning can continue.
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
- Pruning: Cut branches that are growing out of control.
- General care: It produces small, fragrant flowers, and then red fruits begin to form. The fruits are poisonous.
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
- General care: The red fruit clusters are decorative throughout winter.
- General care: A suitable month for planting new seedlings.
- Frost risk: Protect newly planted seedlings during the first winter.
- Pruning: The main pruning period can begin.
- Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -12 °C.
The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.
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