Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Climber Wall Shrub

Smilax rotundifolia

bamboo briar

Deciduous to semi-evergreen, woody climber with prickly stems to about 6m or more tall and glossy bright green ovate leaves, heart-shaped at the base, 18cm long, Round, pale yellowish-green to bronze, summer flowers are followed by blue-black to black fruits in autumn

Other common names

biscuit leaves
bull briar
see morebull grip
horse briar
hunger root
hungry vine
red-berried bamboo
wait-a-bit
bread and butter

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
1 suppliers

Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Smilacaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous or Semi evergreen
Habit: Trailing
Genus: A large genus of around 300 to 350 evergreen and deciduous species of shrub, found in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. They form very dense thickets of spiny stems, with heart-shaped green foliage and greenish-white flowers which appear in May and June. Pollinated plants produce bright, round blue-red berries that ripen in the autumn
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained soil in sun or part shade, needs support

Propagation

Propagate by seed in autumn, or by division in autumn or spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Climber and wall shrubs
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 11 after flowering, care necessary to avoid prickly stems

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Love gardening

View our Privacy Policy

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.