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Hemidesmus indicus, Indian sarsaparilla, is a slender twining climber from South Asia, grown mainly for its aromatic woody roots, which are used as a substitute for sarsaparilla. It is best grown in warm, dry conditions with good drainage and light support for its stems.
Hemidesmus indicus, Indian sarsaparilla, is a species of plant found in South Asia. It occurs over the greater part of India, from the upper Gangetic plain eastwards to Assam and in some places in central, western and South India.
The root is a substitute for sarsaparilla (the dried root of the tropical species of Smilax, Smilacaceae; in India Smilax aspera L., and Smilax ovalifolia Roxb.). It should be distinguished from Mexican sarsaparilla Smilax aristolochiifolia Mill. and Jamaican sarsaparilla Smilax ornata Hook.f..
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hemidesmus indicus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
