Smilax
Smilax zeylanica
Climbing Plants Difficulty: Easy
📖 About this plant
Smilax zeylanica (Ceylon smilax or ‘Smilax’/’Muturi’ species in Odia, also called Kumarika) is a prickly climber of the Liliaceae family. The plant bears heart-shaped leaves and clusters of small yellow-green flowers. Tubers are used in Ayurvedic medicine as a substitute for sarsaparilla.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Full sun
💧
Water
Regular; moderately drought-tolerant
💨
Humidity
Moderate
🌡️
Temperature
15-38°C
🪴
Soil
Well-draining loam
🧪
Fertilizer
Compost annually
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
Smilax
BN
Bengali
Smilax
MR
Marathi
Smilax
TE
Telugu
Smilax
TA
Tamil
Smilax
GU
Gujarati
Smilax
UR
Urdu
Smilax
KN
Kannada
Smilax
OR
Odia
Smilax
ML
Malayalam
Smilax
PA
Punjabi
Smilax
AS
Assamese
Smilax
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Indian Subcontinent
- 📏 Max height
- 10-20 m
- 📐 Spread
- 4-6 m
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White-yellow
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- 40+ years
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seeds
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic
Common issues
- Leaf spot
- caterpillar defoliation
💡 Care tips
- Plant in well-draining soil with appropriate light.
- Tolerates Indian tropical conditions.
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