Pom Pom Asparagus

COMMON NAMES:  POM POM ASPARAGUS, MING FERN.

BOTANICAL NAME:  Asparagus retrofractus, (A. macowanii)

​PRONUNCIATION:  as-PAIR-a-gus re-tro-FRAC-tus
​
FAMILY:  Liliaceae (lil-ee-AY-see-ee)

PLANT TYPE:  Tropical evergreen native to arid regions of South Africa.

LEAF TYPE:  Broadleaf

HARDINESS ZONE:  8 - 11

HEIGHT:  5-8 feet

SPREAD:  3 -5 feet

FLOWERS:  Small white

FRUIT:  Red berries in summer and fall.

LIGHT EXPOSURE:  Sun, part sun, morning sun.

DRAINAGE:  Well drained, moist.

RATE OF GROWTH:  Moderate

WATER REQUIREMENT:  Medium

MAINTENANCE LEVEL:  Low – normal organic program.

USES:  Containers, cut flower arrangements, accent plant in perennial gardens.

PROBLEMS:  Small thorns.

COMMENTS:  Beautiful tropical plant that must be protected from freezing temperatures. It makes an excellent container plant and will grow in the same container for many years with relatively little care. Mine does well in fairly heavy all day shade and is moved into greenhouse conditions in the winter.

  Search Library Topics      Search Newspaper Columns