Tamus communis

Perennial climbing vine reaching 3.5m, growing at medium rate. Flowers May to July; seeds ripen September to November. Dioecious requiring both male and female plants for seed production; pollinated by bees and flies. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage preference and heavy clay capability. Adapts to mildly acidic, neutral, and basic pH. Grows in semi-shade or full sun, preferring moist soil. Resists strong winds but not maritime exposure. Hardy to UK zone 5.

Description

A tall twining climber. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 4 m high and dies down to the underground tuber in autumn. The leaves are glossy green and oval or heart shaped. They have long stalks. The edges do not have teeth. There are 3-9 curved primary veins. The flowers are reddish-green. They are 3-6 mm long and in loose branched stalks with flowers developing from the bottom upwards. The male flowers have 6 broad lobes and 6 stamens. The female flowers have small lobes and a distinct ovary. The male and female flowers are on separate plants. The fruit is a round or oval shiny berry. It turns bright red when ripe.

Edible Uses

Young shoots can be eaten cooked. They have a decidedly bitter flavour and work as an asparagus substitute; changing the water once during cooking helps reduce the bitterness. See notes regarding possible toxicity before use.

Traditional Uses

The shoots are eaten after boiling and changing the water. The young shoots are added to pistic in Italy. They are stewed and also added to omelettes or salads. CAUTION: The berries are poisonous. The shoots must be cooked. The roots can contain calcium oxalate.

Medicinal Uses

The root is antiecchymotic, diuretic, emetic, haemolytic, and rubefacient. Use with caution — the plant is rich in saponins, has a very powerful cathartic effect, and ranks as a dangerous irritant poison. It is not normally used internally. The macerated root can be applied externally as a poultice to bruises and rheumatic joints, but this should not be done without expert advice as it can cause painful blisters. The root can be used fresh or harvested in autumn and dried for later use.

Known Hazards

All components of the black bryony plant, including the tubers, are poisonous due to saponin content, so it is not typically used internally. An exception is only reported for young shoots, which are harvested when saponin content is still low and consumed as vegetable. However, it has been used as a poultice for bruises and inflamed joints. It has been suggested that black bryony be used topically with caution, due to a tendency for the plant to cause painful blisters. Studies have isolated calcium oxalate deposits and histamines in the berry juice and rhizomes, which may contribute to skin irritation and contact dermatitis associated with black bryony.

Distribution

It is a Mediterranean and temperate plant. It grows in fences and along hedgerows and in open woodland and beside streams.

Where It Grows

Africa, Albania, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Crete, Croatia, Europe, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, North Africa, Serbia, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Türkiye,

Cultivation

Requires a moist well-drained fertile soil. A climbing plant, the weak stems support themselves by twining around other plants and are capable of growing quite high up into shrubs and trees. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Sow seed in a cold frame in early spring, or as soon as seed ripens in autumn. Prick seedlings out into individual pots once large enough to handle, and plant out in summer or in late spring of the following year.

Other Uses

None known.

Notes

There are 5 Tamus species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Bljust, Certlemik, Esparrago, Esparraguilla, Kir sarmasigi, Kukljar, Lupios, Sarmasik, Tamoro, Tarla sarmasigi, Yerba raposera

References (28)

• Aceituno-Mata, L., et al, 2021, The Persistence of Flavor: Past and Present Use of Wild Food Plants in Sierra Norte de Madrid, Spain. Front. Sustain. Food Syst., 11 January 2021
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 492
• Blanco-Salas, J., et al, 2019, Wild Plants Potentially Used in Human Food in the Protected Area “Sierra Grande de Hornachos” of Extremadura (Spain). Sustainability 2019, 11, 456
• Cerne, M., 1992, Wild Plants from Slovenia used as Vegetables. Acta Horticulturae 318.
• Dogan, Y., et al, 2004, The Use of Wild Edible Plants in Western and Central Anatolia (Turkey). Economic Botany 58(4) pp. 684-690

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