Asparagus fern plants are great houseplants you can use to decorate your home. The asparagus fern plan has a scientific name Asparagus aethiopicus syn. Asparagus densiflorus and is generally used for decoration.

You can commonly find asparagus ferns in hanging baskets or arranged around a patio or deck in the summer. It truly looks remarkable and can brighten your home. However, asparagus fern is more than just a simple decorative plant. It can actually help in cleaning indoor air in winter, which is one of the reasons why people choose to grow it in their homes.

Basic Plant Facts

It is important to note that asparagus fern is not a fern at all: it is actually a member of the Liliaceae family. As noted above, it is generally grown as a decorative plant but it offers additional benefits for those who wish to grow asparagus ferns indoors.

Keep in mind that some asparagus ferns flower, but this is not a common occurrence. Also, the flowers on the asparagus fern are tiny white blooms and are not really showy. In other words, people don't grow asparagus ferns for their flowers - it is mainly grown for its gorgeous foliage.

Growing Asparagus Fern Outdoors

It is surprisingly easy to grow asparagus ferns outdoors. All you need to do is to provide them with a location that gets partial sun. You may also choose a shady location. These locations will promote nice foliage growth, which is something you wish to have with your asparagus fern.

When handling asparagus ferns make sure to be cautious. While the plant may appear fuzzy and soft it actually has thorny spurs. For this reason, it is important to always wear garden gloves when handling your asparagus fern.

As noted above, asparagus ferns has small white flowers that are not really showy. However, if you get your asparagus fern to flower it is a sign that you are taking a great care of it. A happy asparagus fern will also grow tiny berries so it's another sing that you are making it thrive.

If your asparagus fern grows berries keep in mind that you can save them to propagate your asparagus fern later.

The main feature of any asparagus fern is its foliage. It is medium green in color and cascades nicely. It can fill any container or a basked very quickly if you provide it with little care. Growing asparagus ferns outdoors is not complicated so you can make your plant thrive with just a little effort.

The main care you need to provide to your asparagus fern outdoors is watering and fertilizing. Fertilizing will encourage growth of the foliage. Also, don't forget to prune your fern from time to time to remove dead stems.

Keep in mind that asparagus ferns prefer to be grown in a pot. It means that yearly division is not really desirable and it is generally not needed.

Growing Asparagus Fern Indoors

If you wish to grow your asparagus fern indoors keep in mind that it requires a bit more effort. You need to provide it with enough humidity, which is not always easy because indoor places can be very dry, particularly during the winter. In order to overcome this problem you need to mist your plant on a daily basis. This is why the main care for asparagus fern indoors is to mist the arching stems in order to give your plant all the humidity it needs.

Another good thing to do is to give your plant a pebble tray, which will prevent the leaves from turning brown and dropping.

Keep in mind that an asparagus fern can dry out so much it appears dead. However, this doesn't happen so often. Even if it looks all dry during the winter chances are that it will be lively again in the spring, when temperatures go up.

If you wish to grow an asparagus fern indoors make sure to always keep it well watered and to repot it every few years. This will keep it healthy and strong so it can survive without a problem inside the house.

How to Use Asparagus Fern for Decoration

You can combine your asparagus ferns with other plants for the best decorative effect. You can do it both indoors and outdoors. Any hanging basket or a pot looks better with gorgeous summer blooms you can grow next to the asparagus fern. This way, you will get beautiful blooms and stunning foliage for a full effect.

For the best and most effective results, make sure to plant a shade-loving flowering plant at the center of the pot. Surround it with gorgeous cascading foliage of the asparagus fern for the best and most attractive look.

Photo credit: moccasinlanding