Smilax excelsa Care
Smilax excelsa
A very vigorous, large, thorny native climber adapted to sunny or shaded areas and all soil types. It is used to cover large areas or big trees; because it grows very aggressively, it 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. The plant can be pruned very hard to keep it under control. Remove unwanted branches and root suckers. Heavy gloves are essential.
- General care: Controlling its spread is the most important care.
- 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 (the edible 'saparna' tip) 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: It is a very aggressive growth period. It produces inconspicuous flowers.
- 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: Red fruits begin to form.
- 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.
Want reminders for every plant in your garden? Our garden-care app with monthly task lists and frost alerts is currently available in Turkish; the English version is on the way.
Browse all plant guides