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We have observed that cultural values and traditions exert powerful influences over plant preference and use of native plants in traditional landscape designs. Growers of native plants, in turn, can potentially utilize local conventions as entry points for clients who are unsure of how to incorporate native plants into their own landscapes. In this way native plants may fit into a design vernacular that is accepted by local keepers of tradition and is supportive of local ecosystems and greater environmental quality. We describe Smilax smallii Morong (Smilacaceae) as an example of a plant that can fill this role.