Asparagus aethiopicus
Sprenger's asparagus-fern
Synonym(s): Asparagus densiflorus
Not native to Florida
This plant is an invasive exotic that is altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives.
This species should never be planted (many with this designation are prohibited by law), and generally should be removed whenever possible.
This plant is native to South Africa.
The common name is in honor of Carl Ludwig Sprenger(1846-1917), a German botanist who lived and worked much of his life in Naples(Italy, not Florida) where he was a partner in a horticultural house. Sprenger popularized this plant as an ornamental in Europe.
Asparagus aethiopicus is a member of the Asparagaceae - Asparagus family.
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: May 19, 2020