''Asparagus aethiopicus'', Sprenger's asparagus, is a plant native to the

Cape Provinces The Cape Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It is part of the WGSRPD region 27 Southern Africa. The area has the code "CPP". It includes the Sou ...

and the

Northern Provinces The Northern Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It is part of the WGSRPD region 27 Southern Africa. The area has the code "TVL". It includes the ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. Often used as an

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

, it is considered an invasive

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, growing where it conflicts with human preferences, needs, or goals.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. Pla ...

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''.

Name and description

The species was originally described by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

in 1767. The attribution "''Sprenger's Asparagus''" refers to Carl Ludwig Sprenger who made it popular in Europe as an

. ''Asparagus aethiopicus'' is a branching perennial herb with tough green aerial stems which are sparsely covered with spines. The oval-shaped leaves are actually leaf-like cladodes, which are 0.8–2 cm long and 0.1–0.2 cm wide, and arise in groups of four or more from the stem. Occurring in spring, the small white or pinkish-white flowers are 0.3–0.5 cm long and arise in clusters off the stem. Flowers are followed in summer by small round berries 0.5 cm in diameter, which bear a black 3 mm diameter seed. Initially green, the berries mature and turn red in the winter. The root system is a mat of fibrous roots with bulbous water storage tubers, originating from a toughened "crown" at the base of the leaves, this crown including fragments left in the ground may resprout. File:Asparagus aethiopicus 5Dsr 7752.jpg, Flowers File:Asparagus aethiopicus 5Dsr 7566.jpg, Fruit

Distribution

''Asparagus aethiopicus'' is native to southern regions of

, mainly in the

Western Cape The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ...

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape ( ; ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, and its largest city is Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Due to its climate and nineteenth-century towns, it is a common location for tourists. It is also kno ...

and the

. Its natural habitat is rocky

shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of Clay mineral, clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g., Kaolinite, kaolin, aluminium, Al2Silicon, Si2Oxygen, O5(hydroxide, OH)4) and tiny f ...

slopes and coastal scrub, in relatively dry areas. In the United States, it has been declared a weed in Hawaii, and Florida. It has also been declared a weed in New Zealand,Asparagus densiflorus
and has become established around major urban areas in Australia including Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast, Southeastern Queensland, and Adelaide, as well as Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. Seeds are spread by fruit-eating birds and improper disposal of garden refuse. The pied currawong is a culprit in Sydney. It can be eradicated using various herbicides depending on the situation, or manual removal of the woody crown found at the junction between the leaves and roots, the non-reproductive water storage tubers can be safely left in the ground to decompose.

Cultivation and toxicity

''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.

References

External links

University of Arizona, gardening: ''Asparagus densiflorus''

Australia Weeds: ''Asparagus densiflorus''

photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden, collected in Florida in 2007
{{Taxonbar, from=Q12053056 aethiopicus Endemic flora of South Africa Plants described in 1767 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Garden plants of Southern Africa Renosterveld House plants Flora of the Cape Provinces Flora of the Northern Provinces

Name and description

Distribution

Cultivation and toxicity

References

Further reading

External links