Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop, Asparagaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

Evaluate, score: 3 (Go to the risk assessment (Australia))
High risk, score: 15 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))

Other Latin names:  Asparagopsis densiflorus Kunth; Asparagus aethiopicus L.; Asparagus sprengeri Regel; Protasparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Oberm.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: fei zhou tian men dong

English: Sprenger's asparagus fern, asparagus fern, coarse asparagus fern, foxtail fern, regal fern

French: asperge de Sprenger

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb, perennial, coarse, with weak, drooping stems to 2 m long and short spines below the axils on the main stem.  Leaves reduced to scales but leaf-like, solitary or with clusters of two or three linear branchlets called cladophylls, mostly 1-2.5 x 0.1-0.2 cm, arising from their axils.  Flowers anytime during the year; flowers many, fragrant, in short axillary racemes 1-3 cm long.  Corolla of six free elliptic tepals 1.5-3 mm long, pinkish white.  Fruit a small, red, one- to three-seeded, globose berry 6-12 mm in diameter" (Whistler, 2000; pp.72-73).

Habitat/ecology:  Dry to moist forests and openings. In Australia has invaded coastal, littoral rainforest, rainforest, frontal dunes and sclerophyll forest and coastal heath (Csurhes and Edwards, 1998; p. 143).  "Coastal sand dunes and beaches, coastal cliffs and scrub, forests, riparian habitats.  Where invasive, the plant forms extensive and dense colonies that displace native understorey and ground cover species; it overtops shrubs and young trees.  The plant grows in both low and high light conditions and produces a dense mass of somewhat fleshy roots, bearing numerous tubers.  Once established, it grows vigorously and forms a dense crown of 2-3 m diameter, shading out other species"  (Weber, 2003; p. 59).

Propagation:  "Birds spread the seeds, and tubers resprout and are spread by soil and water movement. Common as garden and house plant, and occasionally found in hedges"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Native range:  Southern Africa, widely grown as an ornamental for its fern-like foliage (Whistler, 2000; p.72).

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	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 143)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 100)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 64)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Fiji Islands		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1949) (voucher ID: BISH 449723) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced cultivated	St. John, Harold (1988) (p. 11) Voucher cited: Fosberg 11168 (BISH)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 352) Voucher cited: Grant 4999
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 352) Vouchers cited: Fosberg & Sachet 63225, Florence 3514, Moore 546, Moore 579
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 3514 (PAP) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 492825) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 607307) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 65)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 65)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 6223 (PAP). "Ornementale assez commune". Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 115)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 100)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1965) (voucher ID: BISH 82184) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus sprengeri
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 14) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer & S. Holt H30119 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Lorence, David/Flynn, Tim (1999) (pp. 4-5) Vouchers cited: T. Flynn 6494 (BISH, PTBG, US), T. Flynn 6495 (BISH, PTBG, US)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank (2007) (p. 26) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H100642 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, R. T. (2000) (p. 6) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H99909 (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 100)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 104)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 41)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 55) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 58711 (US), Hassall 167 (SUVA), Hassall 180 (SUVA)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 93) cv. "Sprengeri"; vouchers cited: MacKee 14445, MacKee 28345, MacKee 43187 Spontané
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 32) As Asparagus sprengeri Regel
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 12, 79)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 12, 79)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 8)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 6)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 6)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1959) (voucher ID: BISH 41331) Taxon name on voucher: Asparagus densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 6)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2008) (pp. B-4) Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 080607-02

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. 143)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 143)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 1) As Asparagus aethiopicus cv. 'Sprengeri'
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Commonly cultivated and occasionally becoming naturalized.
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 357) cv. Sprengeri. Ornamental.
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 16) Cultivated only
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 105)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Asparagus densiflorus has recently been found to be rather widespread in Hawai‘i on the island of Kaua‘i. There it is spreading along roadsides and invading secondary forest and seems to have the ability to withstand herbicide treatments used to control vegetation along roads (Tim Flynn, pers. com.)

Control:  "Tubers often resprout after spraying, stems break at ground level so plants cannot be pulled. Tuber fragments usually survive digging.  Always follow up on treated areas at least 6-monthly. Replant treated areas where possible after 2- 3 treatments to establish dense ground cover and minimise reinvasion"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Physical:  "Dig out tubers. Dispose of at a refuse transfer station or burn. Leave rest of cut material on site to rot down"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Chemical:  "Regrowth and seedlings can be effectively controlled with dicamba"  (Weber, 2003; p. 59).  "1. Weed wipe (spring-early summer only): glyphosate (333ml/L), no penetrant.
2. Spray (spring-early summer only): glyphosate (20ml/L). Do not add penetrant when spraying against tree trunks. Spray lightly, avoiding runoff"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).