Plant Min Zone: 6a
Plant Max Zone: 9a
Sunlight: All Day Full Sun, Full Sun, Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Average
Soil Quality: Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Insignificant
Flower Color: Insignificant
Berry / Fruit Color: Red
Spring Foliage Color: Mint Green
Summer Foliage Color: Mint Green
Fall Foliage Color: Mint Green
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: Yes
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: Medium, High
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Medium, High
Wind Tolerance: Medium
Poor Soil Tolerance: Clay Soils, Rocky Soils, Alkaline Soils (high PH)
Height: 2' - 3'
Width: 2' - 3'
Growth Rate: Slow
Service Life: Long: 5-10 years
Maintenance Need: Medium
Spreading Potential: Low
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to Ground in Early Spring before New Growth: Has Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3
Best Side of House: South Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Resistant to Rabbits
Ornamental Features: Multiple Seasons of Interest, Long Lasting Fall Color, Fine Texture, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: None
Plant Limitations: Slow to Reach Mature Size
This Hardy Asparagus Fern (Asparagus microraphis) makes a wonderful extreme fine textures accent plant in the landscape. The effect is more dramatic when combined with large leaved and bold flowering hardy tropicals. Native to rocky mountain slopes in South Africa, Asparagus microraphis forms a tight bush-like perennial wider than it is tall. Interestingly, if you walk by and lightly kick the plant, the whole plant bounces and jiggles like one solid mass; things sort of "bounce off" of it. This plant is also perfectly suited to cascade down a retaining wall in the landscape. The deciduous stalks of medium green foliage turn a brilliant gold fall color. Tiny white flowers bloom in mid-May sometimes followed by red fruit. If low temperatures hit -10 degrees F, it may kill an un-mulched plant; protect any zone 6 perennial with thick layer of mulch. Unfortunately, this is how we lost our display garden plant a few years ago at -11 Degrees F. Since the foliage is evergreen to 20 degrees F or so and so mound-like, we forgot to cut it back and mulch it before a real-cold blast. Our original display garden plant came from Plant Delights Nursery in North Carolina.