Asparagus officinalis L.

Garden asparagus (en), Asperge (fr), Asperge officinale (fr), Asperge cultivée (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Asparagaceae > Asparagus

Characteristics

Erect, much-branched, dioecious, perennial herb to 1.5 (–2) m high, with a branching rhizome and fibrous roots. Aerial stems annual, dying back after fruiting. Cladodes sessile, 3 of unequal size at each bract (leaf reduced to a scale) axil (alternate clusters of 3–7 cladodes of unequal size observed in plants in Canberra), acicular to linear-filiform or subulate, 5–30 mm long, 0.5–1 mm diam. Flowers solitary to several in leaf axils, unisexual, 4–8 mm diam., white to pale green or yellowish; pedicels 11–15 mm long, articulated 7–9 mm from base. Perianth persistent. Male flowers narrow-campanulate: sepals and petals (perianth segments) linear-oblong, 4–7 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide; stamens 6, 4–6 mm long; filaments filiform, 3.5–5.5 mm long; anthers c. 0.5 mm long. Female flowers: sepals and petals similar to those of male flower; ovary ovoid, 2–3 mm long; style 1–2 mm long. Berry globular or subglobular, to 10 mm diam., red. Seeds 1 to few (3–5 seeds in fruits observed in plants in Canberra), 3–4 mm long, black.
More
Herbs dioecious. Roots 2--3 mm thick, rather slender. Stems suberect, to 1 m, usually slightly pendent apically; branches soft. Cladodes in fascicles of 3--6, 0.5--3 cm × ca. 0.4 mm, subterete, slightly flattened, irregularly grooved. Leaf spur slightly spinescent or indistinct. Inflorescences developing after cladodes. Flowers of both sexes solitary of in clusters of 2--4; pedicel 0.8--1.2(--1.4) cm. Male flowers: perianth yellowish green, campanulate, 5--6 mm; filaments adnate to perianth segments for ca. 1/2 their length; anthers 1--1.5 mm. Female flowers: perianth ca. 3 mm. Berry red, 7--8 mm in diam., 2-or 3-seeded. Fl. May--Jun, fr. Aug. 2 n = 20*, 40.
Summer-green dioecious perennial, with woody crown; roots long, cylindrical, fleshy. Stems 60-120 cm high, bright green, stiffly erect, ± woody below, branched above; shoots fleshy, edible. Scale-leaves scarious, 1-5 mm long, with short soft basal spur. Cladodes needle-like, 5-15 mm long, 2-8 at each node. Flowers axillary, 1-2-(4), greenish-yellow; pedicels drooping, 5-10 mm long; male flowers 5-6 mm long, stamens ± 3 mm long, ovary rudimentary; female flowers shorter, ± 4 mm long, stamens ± 1.5 mm long, functionless. Berry globose, ± 6-8 mm diam., red. Seeds 1-9, ± 3 mm diam., black.
Herbs, erect, 1–2.5 m; rhizomes fibrous. Stems annual, densely branched distally; branches finely dissected, ascending to perpendicular, unarmed; cladophylls in clusters of (2–)4–15(–25) per node, filiform, straight or curved, 1–3 cm. Leaves scalelike, 3–4 mm; blade lanceolate, base hardened. Inflorescences in axillary racemes, 1–3-flowered. Flowers some unisexual; perianth campanulate, yellow or yellowish green; tepals connate 1–2 mm, greenish white, 3–8 × 1–2 mm; pedicel 8–12 mm, jointed at or above middle. Berries red, 6–10 mm. Seeds 2–4. 2n = 20, 40.
A herb. A perennial plant with leaves like a feather and an underground root stock. It grows to 1.5 m high and spreads to 1 m across. The stems are erect but often hang over at the tips. The branches are soft. The leaves are feathery and a rich green colour. The flowers are small and greenish. They are of both sexes and occur either singly or in clusters of 2-4. The fruit are red berries. They are produced on female plants. They are 7-8 mm across. There are 2 or 3 seeds.
Perennial from a short rhizome, freely branched, to 2 m; ultimate branchlets filiform, 8–15 mm; pedicels solitary or paired, lateral, 5–10 mm, jointed at the middle; fls greenish-white, campanulate, 3–5 mm; berry red, 8 mm; 2n=20, 40. Native of Europe, escaped from cult. into waste places or along salt marshes. May, June.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support -
Foliage retention
Sexuality dioecy
Pollination entomogamy
Spread endozoochory
Mature width (meter) 0.88
Mature height (meter) 1.0 - 1.2
Root system fibrous-root rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) 1.5
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a temperate or Mediterranean plant. It needs a temperature of 16-24°C for good growth. It needs a lower temperature for 60-100 days when the plants are dormant. In Papua New Guinea it is grown mainly in the highlands at over 1000 m altitude in the tropics. It grows up to 2600 m. It can be grown on the tropical coast with special management. It prefers humus rich, moist, well drained soils. It does best in an open sunny position. It is frost resistant but drought tender. A pH of 6-6.8 is suitable. In China it grows naturally on the steppes in NW Xinjiang. It suits hardiness zones 4-8.
More
Generally occurs near watercourses or lakes (sometimes somewhat saline), on river flats and in swampy areas, also roadsides, near gardens, disturbed bushland (e.g. open eucalypt forest, woodland, riparian vegetation, scrub) near habitation, irrigation channels, agricultural areas; often not far from land formerly or currently used for commercial or domestic asparagus production.
Fertile and sandy soils by the seashore and along river banks.
Fertile and sandy soils by the seashore and along river banks.
Light 5-9
Soil humidity 3-7
Soil texture 2-5
Soil acidity 3-8
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 4-8

Usage

The young shoots are eaten cooked. They should only be washed just before cooking. The tuberous roots of some wild asparagus plants are eaten in China. Young roots should be used. The seeds have been used as a substitute for coffee.
More
Widely cultivated vegetable and economic crop; its edible shoots are usually cooked. Sometimes grown as an ornamental and used in floral displays. Also used for a number of medical treatments.
Uses coffee substitute environmental use food gene source medicinal ornamental poison
Edible leaves roots seeds shoots stems
Therapeutic use Blood Medicine (bark), Anti-infective agents (fruit), Contraceptive agents (fruit), Antirheumatic (External) (root), Calculi (root), Diuretics (root), Dysuria (root), Gout (root), Hypnotics and sedatives (root), Inflammation (root), Jaundice (root), Liver diseases (root), Schistosomiasis (root), Amenorrhea (seed), Anti-bacterial agents (seed), Anti-inflammatory agents (seed), Antirheumatic agents (seed), Aphrodisiacs (seed), Contraceptive agents (seed), Demulcents (seed), Diuretics (seed), Edema (seed), Gout (seed), Hypnotics and sedatives (seed), Kidney calculi (seed), Menstruation-inducing agents (seed), General tonic for rejuvenation (seed), Stomach diseases (seed), Sexual debility (seed), Deobstruent (seed), Diarrhea (shoot), Dietary Aid (unspecified), Antirheumatic (External) (unspecified), Ache(Back) (unspecified), Aperient (unspecified), Aphrodisiac (unspecified), Asthenia (unspecified), Cardiac (unspecified), Debility (unspecified), Demulcent (unspecified), Deobstruent (unspecified), Depurative (unspecified), Diuretic (unspecified), Dropsy (unspecified), Gout (unspecified), Heart (unspecified), Hepatitis (unspecified), Hydropsy (unspecified), Hypertension (unspecified), Kidney (unspecified), Liver (unspecified), Lumbago (unspecified), Lung (unspecified), Neurasthenia (unspecified), Parasiticide (unspecified), Sedative (unspecified), Stone (unspecified), Thigh (unspecified), Tumor(Bladder) (unspecified), Purgative (unspecified), Bladder (unspecified), Fattening (unspecified), Rheumatism (unspecified), Toothache (unspecified), Antirheumatic agents (unspecified), Aphrodisiacs (unspecified), Cystitis (unspecified), Demulcents (unspecified), Diuretics (unspecified), Hypnotics and sedatives (unspecified), Laxatives (unspecified), Neuritis (unspecified), Acute and chronic pyelitis (unspecified), General tonic for rejuvenation (unspecified), Urologic diseases (unspecified), Antirheumatic agents (whole plant), Urinary tract infections (whole plant)
Human toxicity allergenic (fruit)
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed. It is best to soak the seeds for 24 hours then sow them in a nursery. They are transplanted after 8-12 months. A spacing or 1 m x 1 m is suitable. If white shoots are required, the shoots need to be kept covered with soil. Shoots turn green in sunlight. Plants can also be grown by division of the clump. These are planted 15 cm deep. For seed production a male plant is needed for each 4 female plants. Bees help pollination.
Mode divisions seedlings
Germination duration (days) 21 - 30
Germination temperacture (C°) 15 - 21
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) -35
Optimum temperature (C°) 15 - 30
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Asparagus officinalis habit picture by Michel Woitiez (cc-by-sa)
Asparagus officinalis habit picture by Else Nolden (cc-by-sa)
Asparagus officinalis habit picture by zarraga jose luis (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Asparagus officinalis leaf picture by jondel (cc-by-sa)
Asparagus officinalis leaf picture by Tordoir Quirine (cc-by-sa)
Asparagus officinalis leaf picture by Jean marie Duquenoy (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Asparagus officinalis flower picture by superdude (cc-by-sa)
Asparagus officinalis flower picture by Sebastiaan Veldhuisen (cc-by-sa)
Asparagus officinalis flower picture by Joseph Dupont (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Asparagus officinalis fruit picture by jondel (cc-by-sa)
Asparagus officinalis fruit picture by Chris Griggs (cc-by-sa)
Asparagus officinalis fruit picture by Christophe Lo (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Asparagus officinalis world distribution map, present in Afghanistan, Åland Islands, Albania, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Belarus, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Algeria, Spain, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Micronesia (Federated States of), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kazakhstan, Morocco, Madagascar, Montenegro, Mauritius, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Réunion, Russian Federation, Solomon Islands, Sweden, Seychelles, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uruguay, and United States of America

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:531229-1
WFO ID wfo-0000634022
COL ID HBJ4
BDTFX ID 7231
INPN ID 84279
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Asparagus esculentus Asparagus oxycarpus Asparagus polyphyllus Asparagus caspius Asparagus fiorii Asparagus hedecarpus Asparagus hortensis Asparagus littoralis Asparagus paragus Asparagus vulgaris Asparagus tenuifolius Asparagus polyphyllus Asparagus sativus Asparagus altilis Asparagus caspius Asparagus collinus Asparagus officinalis var. altilis Asparagus officinalis var. strictus Asparagus officinalis subsp. polyphyllus Asparagus officinalis subsp. officinalis Asparagus officinalis var. campestris Asparagus scaber var. littoralis Asparagus officinalis var. collinus Asparagus officinalis var. oxycarpus Asparagus trichophyllus var. medius Asparagus altilis subsp. oxycarpus Asparagus altilis subsp. polyphyllus Asparagus setiformis Asparagus setiformis var. typicus Asparagus setiformis var. tenuior Asparagus officinalis

Lower taxons

Asparagus officinalis subsp. prostratus