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Asparagus aethiopicus
Also called Sprenger's Asparagus Fern, Sprenger's Fern, Emerald Feather, Emerald Fern, Sprengeris Fern, African Asparagus, Bushy Asparagus
Asparagus aethiopicus, Sprenger's asparagus fern, is a South African climber grown as a houseplant or ornamental pot and garden plant, though it is not a true fern. It is invasive in many places, so keep fruit and garden waste from spreading seed.
Asparagus aethiopicus, Sprenger's asparagus, is a plant native to the Cape Provinces and the Northern Provinces of South Africa. Often used as an ornamental plant, it is considered an invasive weed in many locations. Asparagus fern, asparagus grass and foxtail fern are common names; however, it is unrelated to true ferns. A. aethiopicus has been confused with A. densiflorus, now regarded as a separate species, so that information about A. aethiopicus will often be found under the name A. densiflorus.
Asparagus aethiopicus is grown as an indoor plant in cooler climates, or as an ornamental garden plant in urban gardens, rockeries or in pots. Two cultivars are seen in cultivation, 'Sprengeri' is a scrambling form with sparser foliage, while 'Meyeri' has more erect stems to 70 cm (28 in) and denser foliage.
Consuming the berries of A. aethiopicus can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain, and contact with the skin may cause dermatitis. The plant is toxic to domestic cats and dogs.
Asparagus aethiopicus is native to southern regions of South Africa, mainly in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and the Northern Provinces.
African asparagus · Asparagus albus · African asparagus fern · Burchells Asparagus · Cape Asparagus · Chinese Asparagus · Sprenger's asparagus fern · Asparagus · Asparagus krebsianus · Fire Asparagus · Grey Asparagus · Asparagus multiflorus
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Asparagus aethiopicus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
