catbriar thorn earrings

Catbriars, also known as greenbriars, are a tenacious climbing vine that reaches out with tendrils to grow and spread into dense thickets when left to its own devices. The plant blooms with small yellow-green flowers in May and June. Although catbriars cause trouble for gardeners they are an important native species and their berries feed black bears, bluebirds and sparrows and deer feed on their leaves.

Greenbriars take their name from the Greek myth of Crocus and Smilax. Crocus, a mortal man, fell in love with the nymph Smilax and was transformed into a flower and Smilax, the woodland nymph, was transformed into a brambly vine.