Page author: David Giblin
Asparagus officinalis
asparagus
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Garden escape, often of roadsides, fields, wastelots, and other disturbed areas..

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies

Description:
General:

Perennial herb from a rhizome, the stem 1-1.5 m. tall, freely branched.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, scale-like, scarious, 1-2 mm. long, with clusters of filiform branches 10-12 mm. long in the axils.

Flowers:

Flowers dioecious, borne single or in pairs along the stem on drooping, filiform pedicels up to 2 cm. long; tepals 6, greenish-white, bell-shaped, 3-7 mm. long.

Fruits:

Fruit a red berry, 6-8 mm. thick.

Accepted Name:
Asparagus officinalis L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 1: 313. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Asparagus officinalis L. ssp. officinalis
Asparagus officinalis L. ssp. prostratus (Dumort.) Corb.
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Asparagus officinalis in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Asparagus officinalis checklist entry

OregonFlora: Asparagus officinalis information

E-Flora BC: Asparagus officinalis atlas page

CalPhotos: Asparagus officinalis photos

25 photographs:
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