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Buchanan's Native PlantsBuchanan's Native Plants

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        • Buchanan’s Native Plants has been serving Houston gardeners since 1986. Located in the historic Houston Heights, the garden center is dedicated to native plants and organic gardening.  You will find the best selections of hardy natives as well as perennials, herbs, vegetables, trees, shrubs & roses — all suited to the Houston climate.

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Home » Plant Library » Perennials » Asparagus Fern
Asparagus Fern | Asparagus densiflorus

Asparagus Fern

Botanical name: Asparagus densiflorus

Feathery and soft, this variety of asparagus native to South Africa creates great visual interest when massed; flowers are short lived and are hidden behind foliage therefore not very noticeable; the showy bright red berries each carry one seed.

Other names: Emerald Fern; Basket Asparagus

  • Characteristics
  • Features and Attributes
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Characteristics

Hardiness zone 8b
Flower color white
Foliage type deciduous *
Plant form upright spreading
Mature height 30 inches
Spread 4 feet
Light requirements

full sun to partial shade

Moisture requirements

average to moist

Plant origin import

* deciduous = loses leaves in winter

Ornamental Features

Asparagus Fern is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. It features an abundance of magnificent red berries from mid to late summer. Its attractive tiny needle-like leaves remain light green in color throughout the season. The flowers are not ornamentally significant.

Landscape Attributes

Asparagus Fern is a dense herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Asparagus Fern is recommended for the following landscape applications;

Accent, Mass Planting, General Garden Use, Container Planting

Planting and Growing

Asparagus Fern will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Asparagus Fern is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

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Buchanan’s Native Plants
611 East 11th Street
Houston, Texas 77008

713-861-5702

Hours: 9 am – 6 pm
Open Every Day – Monday – Sunday

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