Asparagus

Asparagus is a genus of perennial herbs whose forms range from upright and much-branched plants to climbing or scrambling species. Their apparent foliage consists largely of small, leaf-like stem structures called cladodes. The genus includes both ornamental plants and edible species, so this genus-level record should not be read as identifying a particular cultivar or confirming that every species is a food crop ([VicFlora](https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/fec883a6-6ed2-46f6-9695-6d1c8f289f62); [Kew Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/30275681-2)). ## Landscape Use The name asparagus most often refers in gardens and kitchens to cultivated garden asparagus, *Asparagus officinalis*, whose young spring shoots are eaten and whose mature stems form airy, fern-like greenery. Other members of the genus, including asparagus ferns, are grown for ornamental foliage. Check the species identity before harvesting or applying crop-specific growing instructions; the live record is genus-level. ## Siting and Seasonal Interest For edible garden asparagus, choose a sunny, permanent bed with fertile, well-drained soil and allow the crowns time to establish before harvesting. The genus more broadly includes species adapted to different habitats and growth forms, so light, water, mature size, and cold tolerance vary substantially. The current height and width are retained as plausible garden-asparagus dimensions rather than universal measurements for the whole genus. ## Maintenance For garden asparagus, prepare the bed and suppress perennial weeds before planting, keep young crowns watered while they establish, and let the fern-like tops grow after harvest to replenish the roots. Do not assume that advice for edible *A. officinalis* applies to every ornamental species in this genus.