Asparagus Fern
The Asparagus Fern - Showy, But Not A Fern
The asparagus fern (asparagus densiflorus), because of its good looks, fits in comfortably with other ferns, in the home, or in the garden. It is however, not a true fern. Related to the asparagus plant, it is a member of the lily family. The name fits, as it has branching feather-like branches resembling ferns, up to 2 feet long, and shoots, which closely resemble skinny asparagus spears. The spears, by the way, are not edible. The plant is easy to grow, and once mature, will have tiny white blossoms, followed by pea-sized green berries which eventually turn red.
Nevertheless, the asparagus fern, being an ornamental, is treated like most members of the fern family. It differs in that it is grown from seed rather than spores, and thus is a fairly easy plant to start. Also, unlike true ferns, which prefer shady locations, the asparagus fern prefers bright light, doing very well in the hot summer sun. To grow at its best, the plant needs soil similar to that required by ferns, although in the wild it can grow in areas having very poor soil. While the plant will grow indoors under the more subdued lighting conditions that ferns prefer, it will not grow as large or as vigorously. While frost will cause its branches to die back, the plant will survive a cold winter, and begin growth again the following spring.
A loamy soil mix is best for starting the asparagus fern. When grown in a pot or container, a mix of one-third good garden or potting soil, one-third peat or sphagnum moss, and one-third sand or perlite for drainage, is ideal. Carbon may be added to enhance drainage, and mixing in manure will provide added nutrients.
The plant can be started from seed, from starter plants, or from root division. The asparagus fern is a heavy feeder, and needs to be fertilized on a weekly basis during the summer months. Indoor plant fertilizer should normally be applied at about half strength. As is the case with ferns, the plant will benefit from humid conditions, but is actually quite drought-tolerant and hardy, and will survive under conditions where most true ferns would not.
Pots or hanging baskets are good choices for indoors, or on a porch or patio. Keep the plant sheltered from hot or drying winds and water frequently. The length of the shoots makes the asparagus fern an ideal plant for window boxes and wall boxes. If combined with other plants, the fern's vigorous growing habits need to be taken in to account. Begonias are often chosen as an ideal companion plant. It is attractive grown indoors, but a potential problem lies in the needle-like growths on the stems, which tend to drop off whenever conditions for the plant become something less than ideal. The attractiveness of the asparagus fern will easily make up for this at times annoying habit.