T. communis is a deciduous, twining climber with heart-shaped, mid- to dark green leaves and, from late spring into summer, racemes of tiny, yellow to yellow-green flowers followed by glossy, bright red fruit.
In the summer abundant, with the approach of winter watering is reduced. When the leaves turn yellow, the plant enters a period of rest, during which the plant is moisturize very rare. Watering is renewed with the appearance of new leaves in the spring.
Lightweight breathable soil is suitable. 1 part of sod land, 1 part of leaf land, 1 part of coarse-grained sand or perlite, 1 part of wet peat or humus.
The whole plant is poisonous due to its saponin content. Although toxic, saponins are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm. They are also broken down by thorough cooking. Saponins are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such as certain beans. It is advisable not to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K]. The toxic effect of this plant is not caused by saponins, but by calcium oxalate crystals which are found mainly in the fruit
