Balcony and flowerbeds in the shade with asparagine!

Several species of the genus Asparagus are commonly known as «asparagus fern», in particular A. densiflorus.

Although they are different species, asparagines are called ferns due to their bright green foliage with a shaded texture. They are perennial plants, lovers of warm climates, closely related to table asparagus.

Exposure

Asparagus thrives in dappled shade but will get used to brighter areas if you take it slowly. However, they should be kept away from direct and intense sunlight.

Temperature

Asparagus are rustic plants, if they survive even a few degrees below 0 in protected positions.

Wetness and humidity

Keeping an asparagine hydrated requires a little effort, as this plant thrives on moisture. Indoor growing conditions can usually meet the plant’s need for humidity without the need for supplements.

If the plant appears to be turning brown and droopy, it probably needs more water. The ideal solution is, as often happens, an old acquaintance of ours: water when the first centimeters of soil are dry to the touch.

In general, the more humid and warm the air in the environment is, the more luxuriant the plant will grow.

Substrate

Potted asparagus loves moist, loose and well-draining soil. When they are in a flowerbed, in an apartment or in a planter, they need draining soils such as One Plus, One and Florenpot.

Fertilization

Use a fertilizer for green plants or a universal one, following the doses shown on the label. Fertilization must be intensified with the arrival of summer.

Recommended: Ace of Clubs

Propagation

It is possible to propagate asparagines via seeds found inside the berries, but the fastest method is to dig up and divide the tuberous roots:

• In spring, remove the plant from the pot;
• divide the root tuft into sections with a well-disinfected knife, making sure that each section includes a substantial part of roots, as well as a vegetated part with growing shoots;
• transplant the various pieces into individual pots. It is best to keep the plant in the shade until new growth begins.

Pruning

The asparagus fern grows quickly and it is possible to prune it to maintain a tidier appearance, but if you prefer to let it grow free there is no problem.

I repot

As we have already mentioned, asparagus are plants that grow quickly and the tuberous roots can easily break the pots, for this reason it is better to repot them quite frequently.

Parasites

Mites, aphids and scale insects love to be among the leaves of this plant, to get rid of them it is best to use specific products.

Although it is relatively easy to grow, the asparagus fern has a couple of problems that can easily be solved if you can figure out what causes them.

Yellow leaves

Asparagus leaves turn yellow if the plant is under attack by parasites such as mites or scale insects, or if it is not receiving enough sunlight. To solve these problems, simply check for the presence and, if necessary, remove the parasites, or place it in an area with more intense light.

The leaves can also turn yellow in the case of excessive fertilization.

Brown leaves

If your asparagus fern is turning brown and appears to be drying out, it is likely water-deficient. In this case, cut the brown and dry sections and increase watering.

Falling leaves

One of the most frequent problems with asparagus ferns is the fall of the foliage, which causes the presence of needles on shelves, floors and everything that surrounds the plant. This normally happens due to a lack of watering rhythm. While these plants don’t like being submerged in water, they don’t like drought either. The right watering pace can be difficult to find, especially in colder climates, where indoor air can be very dry during the winter.

Usually it will be enough to adjust the irrigation/spraying alternation a little to get the plant to grow regularly again.

The plant has long, sparse stems

Another common problem is that the asparagus fern can develop very long stems that are bare in the lower part, not being aesthetically enhanced. This can sometimes be caused by low light.

Bare branches should be trimmed at the base and, as new stems grow, remove the outermost ones. This will cause the plant to spread rather than extend the long stems already present.

The soft and feathery appearance of these plants is only an appearance, in fact although the asparagines almost seem to be there ready to be caressed, in reality they are quite sharp, it is in fact advisable to use gardening gloves to carry out pruning operations.

When the plant is in ideal light and heat conditions it can produce small flowers followed by slightly toxic berries. Berries can cause dermatitis, gastrointestinal disorders.

If regularly repotted and well cared for, an asparagus fern can have an almost indefinite life as a houseplant. If it is not regularly repotted and propagated, however, it could die within a few years.

Here in the nursery we have Asparagus densiflorus “Sprengeri”, Asparagus densiflorus “Myersii” and Asparagus falcatus.

Taxonomic description

Asparagines are part of the Asparagaceae family. Asparagus is a genus of perennial plants or evergreen or deciduous subshrubs, sometimes climbing, with tuberous rootstock. The stems bear both inconspicuous scale-like leaves and larger, leaf-like phylloclades with small white or pinkish flowers followed by red berries.

Habitat

They come from tropical Africa and central-western Asia.

Asparagines are not pet friendly

Don’t be confused by the name that brings to mind the asparagus found on our tables! As we said previously, the berries are slightly poisonous to humans, but they are also poisonous to dogs and cats, making them toxic if ingested.

Curiosity

The “leaves” of asparagus are not actually true leaves, but rather are cladodes. True leaves are barely visible scales located near the base of the cladodes.

At the beginning we said that asparagus are close relatives of table asparagus, but they are absolutely not the same thing. Asparagus ferns and edible asparagus are different species within the same genus of asparagus. Garden asparagus is Officinal asparagusa slow growing perennial vegetable. It has a similar appearance to asparagus, but the stems (edible part) are harvested before the plant can give its best in spring.