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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Garden Asparagus-fern
Asparagus officinalis L.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Lily (Liliaceae)
Flowering: July-August
Field Marks: This escape from gardens is easily recognized by its clustered thread-like branches that resemble small, needle-like leaves.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, particularly along drainages.
Habit: Perennial herb with densely crowded, somewhat fleshy rhizomes.
Stems: Upright, unbranched at first but becoming branched, up to 7 1/2 feet tall, smooth.
Leaves: All reduced to scales, the scales up to 1/4 inch long on the unbranched stems, up to 1/8 inch long on the branched stems; thread-like "leaves" are actually reduced branches up to 1 inch long.
Flowers: Borne singly in the axils of the thread-like branches, on slender, drooping stalks up to 1 inch long, each flower bell-shaped.
Sepals and Petals: 6, all alike, divided nearly all the way to the base, up to 1/3 inch long.
Stamens: 6, each attached to the base of the sepals and petals.
Pistils: Ovary superior; stigmas 3.
Fruits: Berries spherical, up to 1/3 inch in diameter, red.
Notes: This species is not a fern, despite the common name. This is the same plant that is eaten as a garden vegetable.

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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:24:57 EST
Menlo Park, CA [caww55]