Smilacaceae

Rough bindweed

Smilax aspera L.

Family: Smilacaceae
Genus: Smilax

Pet and kid safety: not checked yet. Check pet-safe plants

Rough bindweed (Smilax aspera) — FlowerPhoto: Gianni Del Bufalo bygdb, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free

Common names

By language (29)

Arabic: فشاغ قاس, العشبة الطبية, الفشاغ الأوروبي, صبرين, عشبة مغربية
Armenian: Պարիլյակ բարձր
Asturian: Artu moriscu
Basque: Endalar
Catalan: Arítjol, Arinjolera, Aritja, Aríjol, Arínjol, Arínyol, Matavelles
Chinese: 穗菝葜
Corsican: Raza
Croatian: Tetivika
Czech: Přestup drsný
Danish: Orientalsk Sarsaparil
Dutch: Steekwinde
English: Rough bindweed, Catbrier, Common smilax, Greenbrier, Prickly-ivy, Papata
Esperanto: Aspra smilako
Finnish: Piikkisarsaparilla
French: Salsepareille
Galician: Silvamar, Bigorda, Rigorda, Silva do mar, Silva mar, Silva-mar, Zarzaparrilla
German: Raue Stechwinde
grc: Σμῖλαξ τραχεῖα
Greek: Σμίλαξ η τραχεία
Hebrew: קיסוסית קוצנית, קיסוסית
hsb: Kałata přestupnička
Italian: Salsapariglia, Salsapariglia nostrana, Stracciabraghe
kab: Iskerci
Nepali: कुकुरडाइनो
Occitan: Ariège
Persian: عشبه
Polish: Kolcorośl szorstka
Portuguese: Salsaparrilha
Spanish: Zarzamorisca, Zarzaparilla del pais, Zarzaparilla del país, Zarzaparrilla de España, Zarzaparrilla del pais, Zarzaparrilla del país, Zarzaparrilla falsa, Zarzaparrilla montaraz

Synonyms

Smilax aspera f. balearica (Willk. ex A.DC.) Knoche
Smilax aspera f. intermedia Knoche
Smilax aspera f. punctata (Kolb) Rehder
Smilax aspera subsp. balearica (Willk.) Romo
Smilax aspera subsp. balearica (Willk. ex A.DC.) Romo
Smilax aspera subsp. balearica (Willk. ex A.DC.) K.Richt.
Smilax aspera subsp. mauritanica (Poir.) Arcang.
Smilax aspera subsp. nigra (Willd.) Nyman
Smilax aspera var. altissima Moris & De Not.
Smilax aspera var. angustifolia DC.
Smilax aspera var. balearica Willk. ex A.DC.
Smilax aspera var. maculata (Roxb. ex D.Don) A.DC.
Smilax aspera var. mauritanica (Poir.) Gren. & Godr.
Smilax aspera var. mauritanica (Poir.) Gren.
Smilax aspera var. nigra (Willd.) A.DC.
Smilax aspera var. ochrocarpa A.DC.
Smilax aspera var. perrottetiana A.DC.
Smilax aspera var. picta Willk.
Smilax aspera var. punctata Kolb
Smilax balearica (Willk. ex A.DC.) Burnat & Barbey
Smilax brevipes Jord.
Smilax capitata Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don
Smilax catalonica Poir.
Smilax conferta Jord.
Smilax excelsa Duhamel
Smilax goetzeana Engl.
Smilax inermis Jord.
Smilax intricatissima Jord.
Smilax longipes Gand.
Smilax maculata Roxb. ex D.Don
Smilax maculata Roxb.
Smilax mauritanica Desf.
Smilax mauritanica Webb & Berthel.
Smilax mauritanica Poir.
Smilax mauritanica subsp. vespertilionis (Boiss.) K.Richt.
Smilax mauritanica var. vespertilionis Boiss.
Smilax nigra Willd.
Smilax nilagirensis Steud. ex A.DC.
Smilax oxycarpa Jord.
Smilax peduncularis Jord.

and 11 more.

Flowers

In flower: October (from 338 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Gianni Del Bufalo bygdb, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Donatas Pocius, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Emanuele Santarelli, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: John Lyden, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Smilax

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.