Native Sarsaparilla

[hunter&gatherer]

Hi everyone...what a great website...I am looking for native Sarsaparilla in Victoria...I grow wild herbs in my backyard for my own consumption.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Welcome to the forum @hunter&gatherer !

There's this trusted website for false sarsaparillas, that I trust;

The Seed Collection: Vegetable, Herb & Flower Seeds

Get the best seeds for your garden from our online seed shop for Australian gardeners. Choose from a wide selection of herbs, vegetables, flowers and more!

www.theseedcollection.com.au

Though otherwise I do see seeds sold on Etsy and Ebay, this seller has a reasonably high customer feedback (also false sarsaparilla);

Hardenbergia Violacea - Native sarsaparilla seeds climber - 20 Seeds | eBay

Hardenbergia Violacea. Hardenbergia is a vigorous climber that can be used as a ground cover. Native wisteria seeds climber.

www.ebay.com.au

 

[JP 1983]

Hi everyone...what a great website...I am looking for native Sarsaparilla in Victoria...I grow wild herbs in my backyard for my own consumption.

I wrote a whole article on this: [Native Sarsaparilla]

You can find wild in the far eastern part of Vic, especially around Mallacoota, Chandler's Creek etc. It's pretty easy to find once you know what you're looking for; it'll grow on some bushwalk within 10-20 mins of the carpark (I can usually find it within 10-20 mins on any east-coast bushwalk I've done).

The variety that grows in the southern part of Aus is my favourite one, sweet sarsaparilla (Smilax glyciphylla). Lawyer vine (Smilax australis) has thorns and a much weaker flavour profile but I've recently become fond of its new season shoots/tendrils for salad use (see here).

Note that Hardenbergia erroneously cited above by Mandy is *not* the same as real sarsaparilla (Smilax species); its is false sarsaparilla. Its leaves look similar but it is a legume (Fabaceae), so I question its edibility profile (most native Australian legumes are toxic).

If you still can't find it shoot me a private message and I can arrange having some seeds sent to you in the mail.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Cheers @JP 1983 !
Yeah, you're right, which is why I noted false sarsaparilla too. I've made it a little more obvious now.