Sarsparilla
Earlier this year, I was sent a very odd looking seedling, barely an
inch high. Seed had been collected in Corfu the previous autumn and a
few plants of this, together with an as yet unidentified Yucca arose
from late winter sowings. At first it was difficult to identify, but
as its leaves developed it became apparent that this is Smilax aspera
'Maculata' a lightly variegated form of 'Prickly Ivy' or
'Sarsparilla'.
The glossy, unequally heart shaped, leathery leaves with their
accompanying pair of tendrils at the base of the petiole are lightly
mottled with paler green in a most attractive fashion. Does anyone
know whether this form is a geographical variant more commonly found
in the eastern mediterranean or does it occur sporadically throughout
its range?
After a rather slow start where the initial shoot struggled to about
three inches high, a second, more vigorous shoot appeared from the
rootstock which given support, has scrambled to over 2 feet in a very
few weeks. I understand that the young shoots are also eaten like
asparagus. I've yet to decide whether to plant this in a 'wild area'
or give it a more 'select' position. I suspect it will be happier
growing in the thin, rubbly soil of my dump area where it can drape
itself over the various shrubs growing there.
Dave Poole
TORQUAY UK
