Common Greenbrier
Smilax rotundifolia
In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in moderately dry forests; moist forests; forests and woodlands; floodplain and bottomland forests; swamps; ponds, lakes and their shores; pine flatwoods; prairies and grasslands; roadsides, fields and disturbed ground. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you
Native to Louisiana (estimated). Not suggested for planting. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 100%
- Height
- 3 inches–20.5 feet
- Spread
- 5–20 feet
- Light
- Dappled sunlight, Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Somewhat dry to moist
Thorny climbing vine. Stiff stem prickles and dense growth need placement away from paths and play areas. Plant caution source
Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous or semi-evergreen
- Bloom
- April to May
- Fruiting season
- Spring to summer
Recorded in 58 Louisiana parishes.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.
Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.
Flat, sandy Coastal Plain pine woodlands, wetter than sandhills and denser than savannas.
Open, grass-dominated places kept open by fire, grazing or thin soil, from tallgrass prairie to Piedmont prairies.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Louisiana. Shared habitat, not food. 127 animals.
- Harris's SparrowZonotrichia querula
- Indigo BuntingPasserina cyanea
- Neotropic CormorantPhalacrocorax brasilianus
- Northern ParulaParula americana
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Orchard OrioleIcterus spurius
- Purple GallinulePorphyrio martinica
- Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus
- Summer TanagerPiranga rubra
- Swallow-tailed KiteElanoides forficatus
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- White IbisEudocimus albus
- American CootFulica americana
- Bell's VireoVireo bellii
- Black-chinned HummingbirdArchilochus alexandri
- Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphia
- Brown-headed NuthatchSitta pusilla
- Common Ground-doveColumbina passerina
- Eastern PhoebeSayornis phoebe
- Fox SparrowPasserella iliaca
- GadwallAnas strepera
- Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleuca
- Least SandpiperCalidris minutilla
- Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipes
Widespread birds also seen here (17)
Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.
Who uses this plant?
21CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA
Genus host records with ranges including LA · Smilax
- Acrolepiopsis incertellaCarrionflower Moth
- Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Callopistria floridensisFlorida Fern Caterpillar
- Choristoneura parallelaParallel-Banded Leafroller, Spotted Fireworm Moth
- Cymatophora approximariaLarge Scalloped-Wing, Giant Grey
- Ephestiodes infimellaReddish Ephestiodes
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Feniseca tarquiniusHarvester
- Hedone vibexWhirlabout
- Lithophane viridipallensPale Green Pinion
Show all 21
- Norape cretataWhite Flannel Moth
- Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
- Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
- Phosphila miselioidesSpotted Phosphila
- Phosphila turbulentaTurbulent Phosphila
- Phyprosopus callitrichoidesCurved-Line Owlet
- Proleucoptera smilaciellaGreenbrier Leafminer
- Pseudogalleria inimicellaInimical Borer
- Pseudothyris sepulchralisMournful Thyris
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
10BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Smilax
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
8BirdsRecorded eating Smilax in Louisiana
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes Louisiana, most records first.
- Wild TurkeySeeds. 7 diet records
- American RobinFruit. 5 diet records
- Eastern BluebirdFruit. 3 diet records
- Hermit ThrushFruit and seeds. 3 diet records
- Swainson's ThrushFruit and seeds. 2 diet records
- Blue-headed Vireo1 diet record
- Northern CardinalFruit. 1 diet record
- VeeryFruit and seeds. 1 diet record
Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects
Birds that eat Smilax 8
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.
- Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
- Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus
- Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatus
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
- Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
Plant details
- Family
- Smilacaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a–9b
- Soil pH
- Acidic to neutral
- Flower color
- Yellow, green or white
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Growth habit
- Single crown
- Foliage color
- Green
- Fruit begins
- Spring
- Fruit ends
- Summer
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “April to May” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “Yellow, green or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
- Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit begins · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit ends · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth habit · “Single crown” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth rate · “Slow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “3 inches–20.5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
- Leaves · “Deciduous or semi-evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Dappled sunlight (shade through upper canopy all day); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “5–20 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Also known as
Common Greenbriar; Round Leaf Green Briar
Conservation status
| Louisiana rank | SNR |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| LA status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
Will it fit your yard?
Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.
Sources
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025)
- Louisiana occurrence source
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications