Smilax aspera

The tender young shoots of Smilax aspera are eaten raw or cooked like vegetables. They can be cooked and used as a substitute for asparagus. Scientific name: Smilax aspera L.
At the end of summer, its flowering begins with its flowers having a pleasant and very strong, almost intoxicating, smell. Immediately after, its red, fire-like fruits appear, which are food for the birds.
It is one of the few plants that blooms well into autumn, and this makes it a useful beekeeping plant, as it provides pollen and nectar during a difficult season for bees.
Usually the bearfoot climbs tree trunks and bushes or fences and can reach up to 4 meters in height. Prefers areas with moisture and dense vegetation.
Let’s say that the genus Smilax includes 300-350 species, many of which are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry of the Western world because they contain valuable therapeutic substances.
It is thought to have similar properties to Sarsaparilla or Sarzaparilla, as several species of Central America and Jamaica are called that were used by the natives for various medicinal purposes, mainly their roots, while the ancient Greeks found in them the antidote for poisons.
When syphilis appeared in the new world with the first settlers, the plant was often used to treat it.
Also, its species has been used as a base for some drinks and beers. Its tender tops are also eaten like asparagus.