Hardiness zones
Sunset 12-24
USDA 9 (as summer annual in cooler climates) - 11

Landscape Use: Ground covers, accent, border, indoor pot plant in bright indirect light, entry plants, hanging basket. Use of this plant will dictate selection of the appropriate cultivar.

Form & Character: Evergreen herbaceous perennials, stiffly upright to arching and spreading depending on cultivar.

Growth Habit: Moderate, clumping to 24" tall with equal to greater spread

Foliage/texture: Leafless, instead has bunched cladodes (stems as a modified leaf), stems armed with small spines of variable length and density, also has white, fleshy water-storing tubers, medium fine texture

Flowers & fruits: Small white flowers in axillary clusters followed by round shiny red berries

Seasonal color: White flowers in spring, red berries in summer to winter

Temperature: Hardy to 24^oF

Light: Partial shade best, avoid western sun in Phoenix.

Soil: Well drained, sandy to loamy soil best, relatively high nitrogen requirement. Fertilizer in late winter and mid summer.

Watering: Needs regular supplemental water from April to October. Water storing tubers help asparagus fern tolerate some dryness.

Pruning: Remove dead stems. Periodically (every 3 years) prune hard to ground to rejuvenate plant appearance.

Propagation: Seed or division of clumps.

Disease and pests: Root rot if soil poorly drained. Be careful to not allow intrusion of Bermuda grass.

Additional comments: Several locally popular named cultivars of A. densiflorus include:

'Cwebe' - an upright version of 'Sprengeri' with graceful, arching stems, copper colored when young. Avoid sun exposure.
'Sprengeri'- broadly arching and prostrate. not for small spaces, morning sun.
'Sprengeri Compacta' - semi dwarf form of 'Sprengeri' that is more desirable for smaller spaces, morning sun.
'Meyers' - upright and rigid makes, an excellent accent plant in terms of a contrast in form with other landscape plants.

Asparagus retrofractus (pom pom asaparagus) is also an upright ornamental plant.