Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce

Scrambling, twining and climbing herb, evergreen or semi-deciduous, perennial, with a short branching rhizome producing clusters of fleshy tubers. Stems tortuous, wiry, to 3 m or more long, becoming slightly woody; young stems slightly scabrid. Leaf scales without spine. Cladodes 1 per bract axil, leaf-like, broadly ovate to lanceolate, acute apex, ±truncate at base, 10–70 mm long, 4–30 mm wide, multi-veined. Flowers 1 or several per axil, bisexual, 8–9 mm diam.; pedicel 3–8 mm long, articulated 1–3 mm from base. Sepals and petals (perianth segments) linear-oblong, 5–6 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, apically spreading to reflexed, overlapping basally to form a short tube, white often with greenish midvein. Stamens 6, 4–6 mm long; filaments filiform, white, with 2 basal spurs; anthers c. 0.5 mm long, orange-red. Ovary ovoid, c. 2 mm long; style 2–3 mm long; stigma shortly trifid, the branches recurved. Berry globular, 6–10 mm diam., red. Seeds few to many, ovoid to globose, 3–4 mm diam.

Garden-escaped weed of bushland, roadsides and disturbed sites near habitation, often growing in sandy, well-drained soils.

Cultivated as an ornamental, in gardens and containers. Also used in floral arrangements and bridal bouquets.

Can be grown by seedlings or tubers. Seeds needs soaking.