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 densiflora Kunth; Asparagus aethiopicus L.; Asparagus sprengeri Reg.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: fei zhou tian men dong

English: asparagus fern, coarse asparagus fern, foxtail fern, regal fern, Sprenger's asparagus 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 (2011)
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. (2011) 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. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
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. (2011) 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. (2011) Cultivée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) 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) Bonin (Ogasawara) 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 (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 12, 79)
Palau Palau (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 (2011) 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. (2011)

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. (2011)

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).

Additional information:
Photos and additional information at the University of Florida, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
Photo and additional information at the Environment Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, web site of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Information from the Global Invasive Species Database.
Information from the book "Identification and biology of non-native plants in Florida's natural areas" (PDF format).
Fact sheet from the Government of Queensland, Australia (PDF format).
Information sheet from Weedbusters New Zealand.

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

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

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

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1949. Voucher specimen #BISH 449723 (Devambez, M. s.n.).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1959. Voucher specimen #BISH 41331 (Lawrence, E. 546).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1965. Voucher specimen #BISH 82184 (Fosberg, F.R. 46290).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 492825 (Florence, J. 3514).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 607307 (Fosberg, F.R. 63225).

Charles Darwin Foundation. 2008. Database inventory of introduced plant species in the rural and urban zones of Galapagos. Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos, Ecuador.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. 273 pp.

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

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1987. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian monocotyledonae. Micronesica 20:1-126.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

Langeland, K. A./Burks, K. Craddock. eds. 1998. Identification and biology of non-native plants in Florida's natural areas. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida. 165 pp.

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

Lorence, David/Flynn, Tim. 1999. New naturalized plant records for the Hawaiian Islands. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1998. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 59:3-6.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2011. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

Oppenheimer, Hank. 2007. New plant records from Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Maui, and Hawai‘i for 2006. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2006. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 96:17-34.

Oppenheimer, Hank L. 2003. New plant records from Maui and Hawai‘i Counties. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2001-2002. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 73:3-30.

Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, R. T. 2000. New plant records from Maui, O‘ahu, and the Hawai‘i Islands. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1999. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 64:1-10.

Porcher, Michel H. 2011. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database. The University of Melbourne, Australia. Online resource.

Queensland Herbarium. 2002. Invasive Naturalised Plants in Southeast Queensland, alphabetical by genus. Modified from: Batianoff, George N. and Butler, Don W. (2002). Assessment of Invasive naturalized plants in south-east Queensland. Appendix. Plant Protection Quarterly 17, 27-34. 11 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

St. John, Harold. 1988. Census of the Flora of the Gambier Islands, Polynesia. Pacific Plant Studies 43. Honolulu, Hawaii. 34 pp. [Privately published].

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.

Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd. 2008. Botanical survey of Midway Atoll. Prepared for: United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 27 pp. plus appendices.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. 1994. The flora of Nauru. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 392:1-223.

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

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

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

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 2000. Tropical ornamentals: a guide. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 542 pp.

Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. 1999. Botanical survey of the United States of America Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Islands. Prepared for Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and the U. S. Army Environmental Center. 111 pp.

Wu, Te-lin. 2001. Check List of Hong Kong Plants. Hong Kong Herbarium and the South China Institute of Botany. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Bulletin 1 (revised). 384 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.

Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong. 2011. Flora of China (online resource).