Asparagus Fern

Last week (November 2005) a couple at choir gave me an asparagus fern from their yard. They said that they simply had too many plants this year to move them all into the house for the winter. 

Asparagus fern in Florida landscape

Asparagus fern is one of many plants that makes a nice houseplant and serves as an annual plant outdoors in the summer. Many people simply throw them away and purchase new plants the next year, but with some effort the plants can be brought indoors and reused from year to year. 

Asparagus fern is not a fern at all, but a plant belonging to the lily family. It originates from West Africa and will thrive under the most adverse conditions. 

Leaves on the plant are scale-like or spiny and light green. The plant grows into long hanging displays. Because of the fine texture of the plant, it works well as an accent plant and is often used in container arrangements. 

It is very easy to grow and tolerates of a variety of growing conditions. It prefers medium light conditions and somewhat dry soil. However, keep the soil lightly moist until the top growth is established on new plantings. If fronds (leaves) are turning yellow, there may be too little or too much light (or water). 

Don’t be afraid to trim the plant. In fact, in the spring overgrown plants can be cut back to soil level when they are moved outdoors. This will revive them into a new, better plant. Often the stems need trimming to encourage bushiness so that plants aren’t sending little spindly stems all over the room. 

The most used asparagus fern is Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ or Sprengeri Fern. This is the one with wiry stems that can grow to 36 inches long with arching and trailing, loosely branched stems of bright green fluffy needles. 

There are other varieties available that you might want to try. The Lace Fern (Asparagus setaceus) has long, climbing, wiry stems with flattened triangular clusters of fernlike needles. You sometimes see this fine textured foliage used in floral arrangements. 

Ming Fern (Asparagus macowanii) is an upright, woody plant that grows two to six inches tall with short branches. It has bright soft green needles that look like a bonsai. 

The Foxtail Fern (Asparagus densiflorus) has stiff upright and spreading stems that grow to 24 inches long. It has dark green needles just like on the Sprengeri Fern, but instead of trailing they are all in stiff, upright stems. 

Enjoy your fern year-round. You might also try a Boston fern or Rabbit’s foot fern or maybe even a stag horn fern (if you like a challenge). 

Originally published in Canton Daily Ledger on 11-5-2008