Asparagus plumosus
NPPA pest plant
Common names
asparagus fern
Biostatus
Exotic
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Lianes - Monocots
Flower colours
White
Detailed description
Slender, scrambling or climbing perennial. Rootstock a cluster of fleshy tubers, often massive compared with the delicate size of the aerial stems and foliage. Stems to 3.8 m tall, almost woody below, green and much-branched above. Branches widely spreading with branchlets fern-like and cladodes all lying in one plane. Cladodes needle-like, extremely fine, 3-7 mm long, 7-20 at each node. Small white flowers are held at the end of the stems in groups of up to 4. Small (6mm diam) round dark purple-black berries containing 1-3 black seeds.
Similar taxa
Slender, scrambling or climbing plant as with climbing asparagus. Note 7-20 cladodes (leaf-like) projections from each node of the main stem, are very fine and needle-like and distinguish this species.
Habitat
Terrestrial. Forest margins, understorey, shrublands; waste areas, abandoned gardens - often appearing in hedgerows.
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Asparagus setaceus
Ecology
Flowering
November, December
Year naturalised
1974
Origin
Africa
Reason for introduction
Ornamental
Tolerances
Will tolerate deep shade.
Life cycle and dispersal
Perennial. Produces small black globose seeds; 1-3 seeds per berry, viability unknown. Probably dispersed by birds.
Other information
Etymology
asparagus: An old Greek name for this plant possibly derived from a- (an intensifier) and sparasso ‘to tear’, referring to the prickles of some species
National Pest Plant Accord species
This plant is listed in the 2020 National Pest Plant Accord. The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) is an agreement to prevent the sale and/or distribution of specified pest plants where either formal or casual horticultural trade is the most significant way of spreading the plant in New Zealand. For up to date information and an electronic copy of the 2020 Pest Plant Accord manual (including plant information and images) visit the MPI website.