# White Bryony (*Bryonia cretica*)

White Bryony is a climbing plant with green leaves and small white flowers. It grows in sunny places and can wrap around other plants for support. Its berries are bright red and can be very pretty!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![White Bryony](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/287612330/medium.jpeg)

Photo: Jacek Pietruszewski, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/287612330)

## Appearance

The White Bryony is a vigorous climbing vine with large, five-lobed, bright green leaves resembling outstretched hands. It bears small, pale greenish-white flowers and produces shiny, pea-sized red berries in clusters, making it distinctive among hedgerow plants.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Cucurbitales
- **Family:** Cucurbitaceae
- **Genus:** Bryonia

## Interesting facts

- Ancient doctors once thought its root could cure many diseases.
- Its berries look tempting but are highly toxic to eat!
- Its giant root can grow as big as a human leg!
- This plant can quickly outgrow other plants in its path.

## Special abilities

- **Climbing Champion:** White Bryony can quickly climb using coiling tendrils that help it reach sunlight above other plants.
- **Poisonous Protector:** White Bryony has toxic compounds in all its parts, defending it from most hungry animals.
- **Underground Powerhouse:** White Bryony has a huge, turnip-like root that stores energy, helping it survive winters.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 200-400 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer (June-September)
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** High
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits flowers for nectar
- **Eaten by:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Eats berries, dispersing seeds
- **Depends on:** [Hawthorn](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hawthorn) (*Crataegus monogyna*) — Uses its branches for support

## Traits

- [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots.
- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate

Do not touch or eat the berries, as they can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify White Bryony?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is White Bryony?

200-400 cm

### How big are the flowers on White Bryony?

1-2 cm

### When does White Bryony bloom?

Summer (June-September)

### Is White Bryony edible?

No

### Is White Bryony toxic?

High

### What is White Bryony's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is White Bryony pollinated?

Insect

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [White Bryony: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-bryony)