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Smilax moranensis is a trailing to climbing vine from the greenbrier family, native to mountain areas of Mexico, and used in traditional medicine under the name zarzaparilla. It is grown as a climber in warm, seasonally dry conditions and needs a sturdy support.
Smilax moranensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Smilacaceae. It is native to mountainous areas in Mexico from Sonora and Chihuahua south to Chiapas.
Smilax moranensis is a trailing to climbing vine sometimes reaching a height of 10 m (33 feet). Leaves are broadly ovate, round and the base and slightly tapering toward the tip. Flowers are born in umbels in the axils of the leaves, each with 6 yellow-green tepals.
The species is used medicinally throughout much of its range, under the common name zarzaparilla. It is valued for its expectorant, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also reportedly useful in treating Type 2 diabetes.
Sarsaparilla · Austral Sarsaparilla · Chinese Smilax · Smilax glyciphylla · Laurel greenbrier · Smilax officinalis · Jamaica sarsaparilla · Roundleaf greenbrier · Greenbrier
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Smilax moranensis 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.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
