Asparagus (Fern) - Care tips

Asparagus (Fern)

Asparagus is a genus that comprises up to 300 species of flowering plants in the family of Asparagaceae. It originally came from the warm coast of southeastern South Africa. In its natural habitat, most of the Asparagus are evergreen long-lived perennial plants which thrive from the underforest as bushes, lianas or climbing plants. First described in 1767, it became a popular ornamental houseplant thanks to the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician: Carl Ludwig Sprenger.

Asparagus, as we all know it, is a delicious perennial vegetable that we eat in spring. While asparagus houseplants don't produce anything we can harvest and eat, they are versatile, reliable, easy to grow and useful in a variety of situations. Moreover, most Asparagus as houseplant are fern-like and have delicate and airy foliage looking like the leaves of the asparagus but more fern-like thanks to their graceful arches. Most Asparagus foliage have a velvet touch that makes them really soft. We love to take care of them just to be able to touch their soft foliage for hours! Despite being fern-like, the Asparagus is not a fern. Asparagus plants flower and may contain seeds, something ferns never do. They also thrive in more difficult growing conditions than the shade- and moisture-loving true ferns.

Asparagus plant care tips

Light and placement for Asparagus

The Asparagus lives in the tropical underforest, this beauty is used to temperatures above 16 degrees and prefers shady spots. She will not appreciate a place close to the window, but appreciates a place with high humidity and little light, such as the bathroom, which would be the perfect place for your cute green friend to grow.

Water

Knowing that your asparagus is a tropical plant that loves humidity can confuse you into overwatering her. Be aware that she loves humidity, but will not appreciate soggy feet! A soil that is not too wet with a few pulverization on her delicate leaves will work wonderfully and keep her leaves more green. It is preferable to put her once a week in water for half an hour for the soil to absorb all the humidity. Reduce watering in autumn, and make sure to water more sparingly in winter. Creating a humid environment by grouping plants together or misting regularly is a good idea for your Asparagus to grow.

Nutrition

Your beloved Asparagus does not like to be starved. She will be pleased if you feed her with our biologic PLNTS Nutrition once every 15 days during spring and summer. During the winter it will not be necessary as she will concentrate on fighting the cold.

Asparagus plant[1748x993]

Propagating Asparagus

Your Asparagus fern is producing berries? Super cool! You can take them and plant them to create new plants. Moreover, most of the Asparagus houseplant aren’t producing berries, but don’t worry, there is another way to propagate your green beauty. You can divide the root ball in as many sections as you want and repot each piece of root into individual pots. For this, you will need clean and sharp pruning shears. 3 simple steps, starting first by removing the plants from her pot and carefully loosening the soil around the roots. With your finger, try to pull the roots apart and search for a clump of roots with several leaves. Using your clean and sharp cutting shears, cut the roots connecting the leafy section to the mother plants. Place your new plant in a fresh pot of soil and give her a good splash of water!

Most common pests on Asparagus

The most common pests that can affect your Asparagus are spider mites. Walking around your house and taking a close look at your beloved green friend can prevent these types of pests. You can even use a magnifying glass to check because these annoying bugs are too small. Moreover, you can find evidence that your plant is suffering from spider mites! Are the symptoms of your plant more visible in the looks of your plant, like yellow or brown leaves? Do you spot little webs on your plant? If your answer is yes, you don’t need to search for more: it is surely spider mite that you are dealing with. Check our PLNTSdoctor page to recognise and eliminate your plant pests! If you are interested in biologic pest control, you can take a look at our blog: ‘Which natural and biological pest control against which pest?’

Are Asparagus poisonous for your pets or children?

Unfortunately, Asparagus are mildly toxic and you should prevent your pets or children from eating them. Sometimes, you 4 legged friends are attracted to the berries or foliage, but you should prevent them from having any access to your green cutie.

Asparagus plant for sale

At PLNTS.com you have 2 possibilities! Starting by the possibility of seeing the whole process of your beautiful Asparagus Fern growing from the seed to a beautiful and mature plant. Isn’t it super exciting to see that?! If you have an interest in this process, you can start with our Asparagus Fern Seed or our Asparagus Fern Seed Kit. Otherwise, if you are impatient and you want to see your green cutie grow fast from a BabyPLNTS, you can decide to buy our BabyPLNTS Asparagus. Here at PLNTS.com, we got you covered for your plants dreams!