A: Smilax is a vine exquisitely adapted to the South and our Southern gardening habits. If we could only find a way to make use of it ... There are many species of smilax, and I can’t help but ...

A: The vine in your photo is smilax, aka deer thorn and cat brier. This thorny perennial vine has waxy, heart-shaped leaves. It loves to wind its way through my azaleas, wrap its tough stems ...

Plants have evolved all sorts of wickedly clever defense mechanisms, and the most primal—and effective—are thorns, prickles, and spines. Spiky plants can be a hassle for maintenance and ...

The sinewy, winding tangle of vines studded with thorns resembling sharks teeth, only more of them and sharper, would easily deter all but the stout of heart in pursuit of a romantic ideal.

Q:I’M having a problem with my thornless boysenberry plants. The plants produced numerous shoots that were thorny and unproductive. I’ve cut off the shoots but wonder if this bush is doomed to ...