What does it look like?
Ferny asparagus is a scrambling or climbing evergreen fern-like perennial with feathery flattened stems that look like leaves, in bunches of 7-20 from each stem node. Tiny white flowers are followed by small berries that ripen from green to black. It prefers moderate to high light intensity and tolerates dry conditions. Berries containing seeds are spread by birds and through dumping waste.
Why is it a problem?
Ferny asparagus spreads easily and establishes in natural areas, twining up into supporting plants, inhibiting the growth of supporting plants. It’s likely to invade forest margins, farm hedges, and roadsides.
Control methods
Physical control
Hand pull small infestations; dig out all roots.
Herbicide control
- Cut and spray: Cut stems at 60cm above ground and spray or paint remaining stems with metsulferon-methyl 600g/kg (5g/1L). Or,
- Overall spray: Where vegetation beneath is not desirable, overall knapsack spray with glyphosate (100ml/10L + penetrant).
- Check regularly for regrowth or seedlings.
- CAUTION: When using any herbicide or pesticide, PLEASE READ THE LABEL THOROUGHLY to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.
Related links
Management Programme
National Pest Plant Accord
All plants on MPI's National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) are unwanted organisms under the Biosecurity Act 1993 whose formal or casual trade contributes significantly to their spread.
Plants on the Accord cannot legally be propagated, distributed, or sold in New Zealand. If allowed to spread further, these pest plants could seriously damage our economy and environment.
Unwanted Organism
An unwanted organism is any organism that's capable of causing harm to natural or physical resources (like forests and waterways) or human health. A number of introduced pests in New Zealand are classed as unwanted.
More informationTaxonomies
FamilyAsparagaceae
TypePlants
GroupClimber
HabitatLand
Management ProgrammeNational Pest Plant AccordUnwanted Organism
