This bushy, fern-like perennial is easy to grow as a houseplant or outdoors in a warm climate.
The versatile asparagus fern is an attractive herbaceous perennial native to South Africa.
Despite its common name, it is botanically not afern.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Asparagus fern makes a dense, bushy houseplant.
Outdoors, it is grown as an annual or, in USDA Zones 9-11, as a perennial.
Asparagus fern is toxic to pets.
Credit:Krystal Slagle / BHG
Where to Plant Asparagus Fern
The light requirements of asparagus fern are similar to those of ferns.
If in doubt, plant it in a container or a hanging basket.
Asparagus fern spreads not only from its roots but also when birds disperse the seeds after eating the berries.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Dig a hole about twice the size of the nursery pot and just as deep.
Place the plant in the center and backfill with original soil.
Tamp it down and water it immediately.
Credit: Mavis Augustine Torke
Depending on the variety, space plants 2 to 4 feet apart.
Asparagus Fern Care Tips
Asparagus ferns are easy-to-care-for plants, both as houseplants and in shady gardens.
Light
Outside, asparagus fern should be in a location with dappled shade.
Too much sun, especially the strong afternoon sun, causes yellow foliage.
Place potted houseplants in a location with indirect or filtered light.
In the summer, you canmove your potted houseplants outdoorsto a shaded porch.
Keep the plants evenly moist between spring and fall and water sparingly during the winter.
The stems of mature asparagus ferns become tough and woody, with tiny but sharp spines along the branches.
When trimming older plants, protect your hands with athick pair of gardening gloves.
Potting and Repotting
Choose a container that fits the growth habit of your asparagus fern.
Use upright-growing asparagus fern as a filler and trailing varieties in hanging baskets.
double-check the container has large drainage holes and fill it with well-draining potting mix.
Keep in mind that outdoor potted plants need more frequent watering than indoor plants and plants in garden soil.
Pests and Problems
Asparagus fern attractsmites,slugs,aphids, andmealybugs.
In the spring or summer, dig up a mature asparagus fern or remove it from its pot.
Carefully separate the rhizomes into sections by cutting them with a sharp, clean knife.
verify that each section has several roots on them.
Replant each section at the same depth as the original plant or in a pot with fresh potting soil.
Water immediately and keep the new plants well-watered until you see new growth.
It has arching stems with inch-long dark green needles.
If you are planning to plant it outdoors, be mindful of the invasive nature of this variety.
Because of this, it is best suited as a filler in containers.
The spreading layered stems are covered with tiny soft needles.
Older stems often grow several feet long.
Cut them back to promote denser growth.
The design features easy-care, summer-blooming perennials such as daylilies, phlox, and hostas.
Water it just enough to keep the soil moist.
Leaf dropping usually happens as a result of inconsistent watering.
Increase the frequency (not the volume) of watering and also mist the plants.
“Asparagus Fern”.
“Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’.
“Missouri Botanical Garden.
