Asparagus africanus Lam., Asparagaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Protasparagus africanus (Lam.) Oberm.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: African asparagus, climbing asparagus fern

Habit:  fern

Description:  "Erect or climbing or scrambling shrub to 4 m; branches terete to angled, glabrous to pubescent, with spines 3-5 mm long; terminal branches with or without spines. Cladodes fasciculate, 5-25, subulate, stiff or flexible, 3-15 mm long. Flowers in fascicles of 2-10(-35), axillary and terminal; bracts lanceolate, ± 1.5 mm long, falling off quickly; pedicels 3-8(-10) mm long, articulated below the middle. Tepals white to cream, ± equal, 3-4 mm long, entire; stamens shorter than the perianth, anthers yellow; ovary 3-locular with 4-8 ovules in each locule; style 1 mm long, 3-branched. Berry red, 5-6 mm in diameter, 1-seeded"  (Flora of Tropical East Africa).

"Slender scrambling shrub or climber. Stems with spreading branches, closely set with cladodes (leaf-like modified branchlets) in clusters of up to 12, unequal in length, up to 10 mm. Flowers whitish with yellow anthers, up to 6 inside the cladode clusters; fruits orange, turning blackish when old"  (Flora of Zimbabwe).

"This African climber has narrow leaves and prickly stems that help it to clamber up and hang over other plants or supporting structure. Clusters of small, white flowers in spring are followed by green ripening to orange berries that are eaten and dispersed by birds. In absence of a host on which to climb, this weed can grow as a scrambling, low shrub"  (Queensland Government, 2007).

Habitat/ecology:  "As its name suggests, this plant is an accomplished climber and easily scrambles over other vegetation up to 12 m into the canopy. Naturalised in several coastal regions, it has the potential to smother trees and damage rainforests, vine scrubs and riparian vegetation"  (Queensland Government, 2007).

Propagation:  Seed, spread by birds  (Queensland Government, 2007).

Native range:  Africa and the Arabian penninsula (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1993) (voucher ID: BISH 633635) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus africanus Lam.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 95)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Queensland [Australia] Government (2007)

Control: 

Physical:  "Unwanted plants should be dug out by the roots and disposed of at the appropriate Council landfill site. Take care to remove the entire crown or underground stem of the plant and hang above the ground, to prevent the chance of regrowth. This practice requires digging underneath the central growing point and lifting it out of the ground. Any regrowth that occurs can be kept under control by regular mowing or digging out"  (Queensland Government, 2007).

Chemical:  See Queensland Government, 2007, for herbicides registered in Australia for control of asparagus fern.

Additional information:
Fact sheet from the Government of Queensland, Australia (PDF format).
Weed identification sheet from Weeds Australia.

Additional online information about Asparagus africanus is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Asparagus africanus as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Asparagus africanus may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.). 1993. Voucher specimen #BISH633635(J.Obata s.n.).

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Queensland [Australia] Government. 2007. Climbing asparagus fern. Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Land Protection (Invasive Plants and Animals). PP 72. 2 pp.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. 2000. Survey of invasive or potentially invasive cultivated plants in Hawai‘i. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers No. 65. 35 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. 2011. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.