Coral greenbrier is a deciduous woody vine in the Smilacaceae (greenbrier) family. It grows quickly from an elongated rhizome using tendrils. It is found along pond margins and stream banks, and other places that are submersed for at least part of the year. In nature, it is specifically found in swamp forests and bogs. The species is not self-fertile as individual yellow brown flowers that appear in spring are either male or female. Nectar from the flowers is attractive to pollinators. Because only one sex on any one plant, both male and female plants must be grown if fruits are desired. Showy bright red berries appear in the fall and persist into winter and provide a food source for birds and small mammals. This is the only native North Carolina Smilax with red fruit. Coral greenbrier climbs by tendrils and spreads primarily by rhizomes. It is heat tolerant and is less prickly than other members of the Smilax genus. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
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)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Wet
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Multi-stemmed
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Oblong; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves may be deciduous or semievergreen, ovate-oblong, to ovate-lanceolate, with 3 prominent veins, thin, 2-4" ×1-3", or twice as long as they are wide. The base is rounded, subcordate, or, sometimes wedge-shaped at petiole insertion. The upper leaf surfaces are dark green with paler green lower surfaces. Petioles and veins can be red.
Fall color
Brown/Copper
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Green; Insignificant
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Yellow-brown flowers from April-June
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Bright red, globular, shiny, berries remain on plant into the winter. They begin to display in the month of September and die down past November.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Stems are angled, slender, woody, branching, glabrous with scattered prickles mostly near the base.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
South-central, southeastern, and east-central United States
Distribution
East Texas, east to Florida and north to Maryland and New Jersey
Wildlife value
Pollinators enjoy the nectar from the flowers. Birds and small mammals enjoy the berries as a food source.