Asparagus vs. asparagus ferns
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October 26, 2024
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I had an asparagus fern, Asparagus setaceus, in a pot outside for over ten years. The roots had filled the pot and broken it. I noticed all of these grape-sized nodules attached to the roots. After online research, I found that the swollen parts were normal. Water is stored in these nodules and used by the plant during drought. The asparagus fern should be divided when roots are crowding the pot. Remove some of the tangled roots and, root nodules and plant sections in good soil.
The Foxtail fern, Asparagus densiflorus, is similar to the asparagus fern, but the stems are erect. These plants are not true ferns. They reproduce by seeds, not like ferns, which reproduce by spores.
The asparagus we eat is Asparagus officinalis. Asparagus does not have true leaves; photosynthesis occurs in the needle-like branches. It is low in calories and high in nutrients like Vitamin K and folate.
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Katie Martin