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Smilax ferox

Fierce Smilax

Family SmilacaceaeGenus Smilax

A climbing shoot with a zigzag stem set with short curved prickles, carrying broad three-veined leaves, against dense green scrub.
The whole plantXu Y, Bi W, Liang H (2021) New record of the genus Manipuria Jacoby (Chrysomelidae, Criocerinae) from China, with description of a new species. ZooKeys 1009: 29-43.CC BY 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
climbing shrubPlants of the World Online
Flower
Pale yellowFlora of China
Native range
Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Flora of China — Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven and Hong Deyuan (eds.); GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 4, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 91 days to germinate.

100% germination in 91 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Smilax p. 215Public domain
Show the original text
Smilax (Llliaceae). S. ferox germ. 70L(2/2 in 13th w), 70D(2/3 in 16th w). and 40-70-40(214 in 4th w)-70-40-70(1/4). A true leaf (hypogeal) developed 4 w after germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Smilax p. 215. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 14, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 112 days to germinate.

67% germination in 112 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Smilax p. 215Public domain
Show the original text
Smilax (Llliaceae). S. ferox germ. 70L(2/2 in 13th w), 70D(2/3 in 16th w). and 40-70-40(214 in 4th w)-70-40-70(1/4). A true leaf (hypogeal) developed 4 w after germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Smilax p. 215. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 21, 2026 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on December 20, 2025.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  5. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  6. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 15 months from start to step 6. Germination happens during step 6; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

25% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Smilax p. 215Public domain
Show the original text
Smilax (Llliaceae). S. ferox germ. 70L(2/2 in 13th w), 70D(2/3 in 16th w). and 40-70-40(214 in 4th w)-70-40-70(1/4). A true leaf (hypogeal) developed 4 w after germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Smilax p. 215. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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