the carolina coralbead is a deciduous, woody vine that can twines along the trunks of several trees or along the ground. it occurs in timberline areas, rocky woods, glades, fence rows and ponds. carolina coralbead can grow 10–12 ft (3–3.6 m) and usually spaced within 3–4 ft (90–120 cm) of one another. if ingested in large amounts, the berry on cocculus carolinus can be poisonous, but the overall toxicity of its berries do not prove to be fatal. in areas in little rock, arkansas, the carolina coralbead is referred to as an invasive weed system which seedlings have been spread by birds. once a root system has been established, it is hard to remove the plant, so planting in new areas has been a point of concern for this plant. the best ornamental features of the plant are its foliage and its attractive red berries in fall. "cocculus carolinus" can grow in temperatures between from -3.8 °c (25 °f) to -28.8 °c (-20 °f). its leaves are covered in short hairs and should not be confused with the species "smilax bona-nox",which has tendrils and prickles.