Asparagus acutifolius L.

A tall plant. It can be 2 m tall. The stems are woody and have many branches. They are whitish or grey. The flattened green stems occur in clusters of 10-30. They are 2-8 mm long and have spines at their tips. Plants are separately male or female. The flowers are in groups of 2-4. They are 3-4 mm long. They are yellowish green. They have a sweet scent. The flowers are mixed with the leaves. The fruit is a berry which is black when ripe. It is 4.5-7.5 mm across.

It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in dry rocky habitats.

The young shoots are boiled and eaten as a vegetable. They have a distinctive aromatic flavour. They are also used in omelettes. They are also fried. They can be added to stews.

Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.