Scientific Name: Smilax australis

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  • Pronunciation:
    SMILE-axe aus-TRAL-is
  • Common Name:
    Barbed Wire Vine, Austral Sarsaparilla, Smile-and-relax
  • Type:
    Vine , Climber
  • Family:
    SMILACEAE
  • Flowers:
    Greenish white, spring and all year
  • Fruit:
    Black globular berry.
  • Vegetation Type:
    Wet Eucalypt Forest,
  • Species List:
    Weyba Esp, Landcare Display Garden, Kennilworth Fig Tree Walk, Bush food, Craft, FI Podberscek, Weyba Nature Refuge, Eumarella Rd., Peregian Boardwalk, Pomona School Oval, Boreen Point Caravan Park, Wooroi Day Use Area Tracks, NNP Parkedge/Alex, Cooroy Mill Site, Noosa High School, NNP service road, Cooroibah 26.4.09, Wooroi Palm Grove, BSDoonan, Tewantin Forest Gyndier, Fraser Island, Mill Point, Johns, NNS, NNP Viewland/Brunjes, Boreen Point, Leslie Drive Roundabout, TAFE, NNP Tanglewood, NNP Palm Grove, Dandaloo, BHNR, Stratford Park, Upper Yandina Creek, Heritage Park,
Cultural Notes

Bush food: Ripe black fruits eaten raw.||Older stems used for firesticks.||

Identification Notes

Stems prickly; leaves with 5 longitudinal veins, lower surface not glaucous; tepals 3--4 mm long. Deterrent. Semi shade. Shade. ||

Associated Fauna

Spikey climber providing good habitat for birds. Host plant for Fiery Jewel butterfly.Butterfly host plant: Cephenesblue, Miskin's blue.||

Landscaping Notes

Successfully propagated by Mooloolah Native Nursery||Featured in Noosa Landcare Display Garden at Pomona where it will be pruned to stimulate new growth and remove prickles.||Successfully propagated by Barung Landcare||