Re: Sarsparilla
David Poole wrote:
>
> 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
Dear David
I was walking in the woods above our house today and I came upon a plant
of Smilax aspera with pale green and yellow marking on its leaves. I
suppose it could be regarded as "lightly variagated. I have checked this
against a local flora and in fact with the person who drew it up some
years ago. It appears that the markings are normally found here in the
western mediterranean basin about 18 miles north west of Carcassonne in
France. S aspera var. mauretanicus withe longer leaves is also found
here although I haven't seen it myself;
--
Gordon Walker
Cat Bells
Chemin de Ferrals
11170 Villespy
France
