Botanical atlas

Common Greenbrier

Smilax rotundifolia

Long before it was tangled underfoot as a nuisance vine, greenbrier was gathered with purpose. Cherokee and other Southeastern peoples dug its tough, knotted roots to brew a tonic decoction, much as sarsaparilla was used elsewhere, and pounded the starchy root into a paste that was sometimes worked into a jelly or bread. The tender spring shoots, snapped off like wild asparagus, have fed foragers for generations, and the bruised leaves or root were traditionally pressed onto minor skin troubles as a soothing poultice. It earned its keep as both food and folk remedy in the same season.

Safety.

Common greenbrier is not known to be toxic, and its young shoots have long been eaten as a wild vegetable. The vine has sharp recurved thorns, so take care when harvesting and confirm identification first.