Frank Terry

I've been growing purple tree collards for about 3 years, and rooting them is no problem here in Southeastern zone 8a, but I've had trouble keeping them alive if planted in the ground.  Probably too much rain or soil fungus.  

There have been some animal problems when growing them in containers.  One year a racoon took a nap on the container and broke the tree collard off at ground level and it never grew back.  The animal made a big dished out spot on the soil as if it took a nap on the soft soil.  He also pulled up all the turmeric, took a bite out of each one and threw them down.  I found his poop in the turmeric bed, so I know it was a racoon.  Other times an animal chewed-off the main stem and the plant never recovered.  I think there needs to be some leaves on the plant for it to continue to grow.  

I have a couple of 6 foot tall skinny purple tree collards with very few leaves and each plant is completely and securely covered with netting, due to having lost some tree collards to that white cabbage moth.  I recently secured their stems to an arbor because their tall skinny stems were starting to curve.  This morning I found the netting ripped open and the tops of both tree collards were chewed off and the leaves were discarded.  Probably squirrels, racoon or opossum.  I'm going to try Stacy's solution of covering them with hardware cloth.  I'm almost ready to give up.  

https://www.issimaworks.com/newfor23/dystaenia-takesimana

The species Smilax smallii is highly desirable for evergreen floral purposes and is also grown next to houses and trained overhead on chains attached under porch ceilings for year-around evergreen garlands.  Lucky folks know where it grows in the woods and cut and collect the stems for ornamental holiday greenery.  Cut stems are also sold commercially for ornamental purposes including floral garlands for weddings.  It is expensive.    

Here in South Carolina, the locations where it can be found in the woods is never shared with anyone.  I'm speaking specifically about Smilax smallii that only have a few thorns located close to the ground.    The stems of other species of Smilax are covered with thorns and their leaves are not as beautiful, thus they are not ornamentally desirable.    

I grow it horizontally overhead, and agree with the poster who indicated it will branch when grown horizontally.  

I want to know how to propagate it.