Asparagus asparagoides (Forssk.) Deflers, Asparagaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Asparagus medioloides (L. f.) Thunb.; Dracaena medeoloides L. f.; Medeola asparagoides L.; Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: bridal creeper, bridal-veil creeper, gnarboola, smilax, smilax asparagus

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Roots with fleshy tubers.  Stem 1-5 m, twining; branchlets spreading to reflexed, leaf-like, 6-20 mm wide; young stems simple, slender.  Leaves: spurs at base 0.  Inflorescence: pedicels narrow, jointed above.  Flowers 5-7 mm, drooping, perianth spreading to reflexed, greenish white.  Fruit 6-8 mm, red or blue" (Hickman, 1993; p. 1179).

"Bridal creeper has annual, climbing shoot growth from a perennial root system consisting of many tubers (food storage organs) grouped along a central rhizome (an underground stem with shoot buds). The underground mat of rhizomes and tubers makes up the bulk of the plant. These tubers provide water, energy and nutrients that enable the plant to survive over summer and allow rapid shoot growth in autumn. Twisting stems grow up to 3 m in length, with leaves borne in groups on short side branches. Numerous shoots are produced from one patch of roots and entwine with each other and the native vegetation, making it almost impossible to identify individual plants. Bridal creeper produces pea-sized green berries which ripen to red and usually contain two or three black seeds"  (Australian Weed Management Guide).

Habitat/ecology:  "Disturbed places, fields; to 200 m" (Hickman, 1993; p. 1179).  In Australia, "as well as a wide range of natural habitats, bridal creeper grows well in citrus orchards and pine plantations. It can grow in most soils but is most common close to the coast where it invades woodlands and other open coastal vegetation. It is particularly vigorous in alkaline sandy soils and thrives in areas high in nutrients such as drainage lines. Roadsides next to farms are favoured sites because of increased nutrient levels from fertilised paddocks. Bridal creeper is frost tolerant and its perennial root system enables it to survive summer drought"  (Australian Weed Management Guide).

Propagation:  "Bridal creeper plants can produce more than 1000 berries per square metre. Birds feed on the berries and later excrete the seeds at perch sites, usually within 100 m of source plants. However, seed dispersed by birds has helped spread the weed along roadsides and into native vegetation patches further afield. Rabbits and foxes also eat fruit and disperse seeds. The plant can spread as the root system slowly expands in area. Movement of soil containing roots (e.g. by grading) can spread plants further. Dumping of garden rubbish containing bridal creeper seeds or roots also spreads the weed"  (Australian Weed Management Guide).

Native range:  Southern Africa (Hickman, 1993; p. 1179).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 22) "Naturalised and spreading near Lagoon Rd.". Vouchers cited: G. Uhe 1340 (K), P.S. Green 1914 (K)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (pp. 20-21) East Maui. Vouchers cited: Starr & Martz 990218-1 (BISH), Starr & Martz 990326-1 (BISH), Starr & Martz 980114-8 (BISH)

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)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive	Waterhouse, Barbara (year unknown)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Healy, A. J./Edgar, E. (1980) (p. 51) Voucher cited: A. J. Healy (CHR 81437) Sparingly naturalized
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Newfield, M. (year unknown)

Comments:  Reported as possibly an invasive plant in northern New Zealand (per Melanie Newfield, pers. com.).  A "weed of national significance" in Australia.

Control:  "Tubers resprout after spraying, stems break at ground level so plants cannot be pulled out. Grubbing tubers can expose soil, allowing seeds to germinate.  Always follow up on treated areas at least 6-monthly. Seeds probably not long-lived. Replant treated areas where possible after 2-3 treatments to establish dense ground cover and minimise reinvasion"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Physical:  "Mechanical control is done by carefully digging out single plants and destroying them; all parts of the tuberous root system must be removed to prevent regeneration.

Chemical:  Control by herbicides include spotspraying with glyphosate, leading to eradication if applied in several consecutive years.  Other herbicides used are paraquat or metsulfuron-methyl"  (Weber, 2003; p. 58).

"1. Weed wipe (spring-early summer only): glyphosate (333ml /L), no penetrant. 2. Spray (spring-early summer only): glyphosate (20ml /L + penetrant). Do not add penetrant when spraying against tree trunks. Spray lightly, avoiding runoff"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Additional information:
Photos and additional information at the Environment Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, web site of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Weed Management Guide from the Government of Australia. (PDF format).
Best Practice Management Guide from the Government of Australia. (PDF format).
Information sheet from Weedbusters New Zealand.

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

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

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

References:

Healy, A. J./Edgar, E. 1980. Flora of New Zealand, Volume III: Adventive cyperaceous, petalous & spathaceous monocotyledons. Government Printer, Wellington, New Zealand. 220 pp.

Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson manual: higher plants of California. U. Cal. Press, Berkeley. 1400 pp.

Newfield, M. 0. Melanie Newfield, pers. com.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1994. Flora of Australia. Vol. 49, Oceanic islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. 2002. New plant records from the Hawaiian archipelago. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2000. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 69:16-27.

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

Waterhouse, Barbara. 0. Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.

Weber, Ewald. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 548 pp.