Smilax glabra aka Chinese Smilax

Smilax glabra is a woody vine in the Smilacaceae family. Its common names include China root and tufuling. Its native range runs from Assam to Taiwan and Indochina. It grows in forests, thickets, valley slopes, and river banks. Kew places it in the subtropical climate zone. In the wild, it climbs trees and large shrubs.

NC State gives a garden height of 9–16 feet [2.7–4.9 metres]. It lists the same range for spread. Useful Tropical Plants reports stems of 3–13 feet [1–4 metres]. Tendrils grip nearby branches and help hold the vine up. Smooth, woody stems branch from a tuberous rhizome below ground. The plant spreads mainly through these rhizomes and grows fast. Its green leaves grow in an alternate pattern along the stems. They range from oval to narrow, with pointed ends. NC State calls the foliage evergreen; Useful Tropical Plants calls it deciduous.

Small green or white flowers form umbels in spring. Each flower has six tepals and measures under an inch across. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Both sexes must grow nearby for fruit and seed. The berries turn blue-black and carry a pale, powdery coat. They measure about a quarter to two-fifths of an inch across. The fruit adds interest to screens and planted vertical spaces.

NC State recommends dappled light or part shade for cultivation. It lists clay, loam, and sand as suitable soils. It also lists acid, neutral, and alkaline soil conditions. The soil should stay moist but drain well. NC State rates the plant as low maintenance. It can form a barrier or screen in woodland gardens. Its leaves feed the larvae of the moth Marmara smilacisella. Root cuttings, stem cuttings, and seed offer ways to grow more plants. The sources provide no firm hardiness zone for this species. NC State flags a high fire risk.

People cook the roots for food or grind dried roots into flour. The roots contain much starch and have a sweet taste. Chinese cooks use them to help set some dessert jellies. PFAF also lists the fruit as edible, without preparation details. The rhizome has a long history in Chinese and Indian medicine. These uses do not establish that it treats disease in people. NC State notes that cited lab findings came from rat studies. ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.