Preserve even moisture, watering earlier than the soil dries out utterly, and supplying roughly one inch per week.
Species and Cultivars
The categories you might be most definitely to seek out on the market at nurseries and backyard facilities are:
Densiflorus
There are two frequent cultivars of the species A. densiflorus, ‘Myeri’ and ‘Sprengeri.’
When looking for these varieties, you might be more likely to come across variations of their commonplace species and cultivar names, like A. densiflorus ‘Myers,’ ‘Myersii,’ A. densiflorus ‘Sprengeri,’ and even A. sprengeri.
Sadly, corruptions of the right botanical names abound, however don’t allow them to confuse you.
Please understand that vigorously rising asparagus ferns planted outside could turn out to be invasive in sure climates. Additionally, most received’t carry out effectively in temperatures under freezing.
Once more, we by no means know if we’re getting a male or feminine plant, and whereas each could produce nondescript blossoms below optimum situations, solely females set fruit.
Myeri
Also referred to as foxtail fern, A. densiflorus ‘Myeri’ has a attribute conical plume form.
Every stem is densely full of leaves resembling pine needles and stands distinctly away from the others just like the fluffy tail of a fox, therefore the identify.
White flowers could seem in the summertime, adopted by pink berries within the fall.
A. densiflorus ‘Myerii’
Texturally-rich foxtails high out at two ft tall, with an expansion of three to 4 ft.
Packets of 100 A. densiflorus ‘Myerii’ seeds can be found from True Leaf Market.
Sprengeri
Typically known as emerald fern, A. densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ has a mounding behavior, and ethereal foliage that resembles small pine needles on gracefully arching stems.
Mature specimens turn out to be virtually woody.
They could bear white blossoms adopted by pink berries, relying upon gender, a attribute that’s seldom recognized upfront by the buying client.
‘Sprengeri’
Delicately arching stems could produce white or pink blossoms, and berries that flip from inexperienced to pink in winter.
This selection has a mature peak of 1 to 2 ft tall, and an expansion of three to 4 ft.
A. sprengeri seeds can be found from True Leaf Market.
Retrofractus
Also referred to as A. myriocladus, A. aethiopicus ‘Myriocladus,’ or A. macowanii, this can be a lacy variety often utilized in reduce floral preparations.
A. retrofractus is typically known as pom-pom asparagus fern as a result of needle-like leaves seem sporadically in clusters alongside slender stems.
It’s additionally known as zig-zag fern, due to the fascinating back-and-forth association of its branches. White blossoms resulting in orange berries that mature to black could seem.
This kind sometimes achieves a mature peak of two ft.
Setaceus
Also referred to as Protasparagus setaceus or A. plumosus, A. setaceus is a twisty climber that bears the closest resemblance to a typical fern, in my view.
Cladodes just like the most interesting pine needles adorn stems in a triangular sample.
This species has a extra compact development behavior that makes an attention grabbing floor cowl.
A. plumosa
It grows to a mature peak of 1 and a half to 2 ft, with an expansion of two to 3 ft.
A. plumosa ‘Nanus’ seeds can be found from True Leaf Market.
Upkeep
Early spring is the very best time for evaluating the wants of your vegetation, each indoors and out.
Should you discover it’s essential to trim away some yellow or brown cladodes, or a stem that’s throwing all the things off stability, prune on the base of a stem, not on the tip or mid-section.
Periodic pruning of “outdated wooden” retains stems youthful and recent.
It’s not unusual for indoor vegetation to drop some cladodes through the winter, so preserve this in thoughts when selecting a location for them, as some cleanup could also be required.
Now’s the time to resolve if it’s essential to repot.
Whereas some argue that asparagus fern likes to be pot-bound, I like to recommend repotting when it turns into so rootbound it begins to burst by the drainage holes.
Select a container that could be a few inches wider and taller than the diameter of the rootstock to permit for room to develop.
