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|genus=Asparagus

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Asparagus officinalis, Linn. Asparagus. Figs. 402, 403. An erect herb from a woody crown with long fleshy roots: Bts. smooth, much branched above, 4-12 ft. high: cladodes 3-8 in a fascicle, ¼-1 in. long, terete: B. -scale with a short soft spur at base: fls. 1-4, in axils with cladodes or branches, campanulate, yellowish green: berries red, ¼-⅜ in., 1-9-seeded; seed germinate in 12-14 days in warmhouse, often taking a month when planted outdoors in spring. Eu. — The esculent asparagus of the garden, the fruiting sprays with the bright red berries used for decorating. The young seedlings developed from a large number of seed planted in a small pot or pan make a very handsome table decoration. See Asparagus, Esculent.

Asparagus officinalis, Linn. Asparagus. An erect herb from a woody crown with long fleshy roots: Bts. smooth, much branched above, 4-12 ft. high: cladodes 3-8 in a fascicle, ¼-1 in. long, terete: B. -scale with a short soft spur at base: fls. 1-4, in axils with cladodes or branches, campanulate, yellowish green: berries red, ¼-⅜ in., 1-9-seeded; seed germinate in 12-14 days in warmhouse, often taking a month when planted outdoors in spring. Eu. — The esculent asparagus of the garden, the fruiting sprays with the bright red berries used for decorating. The young seedlings developed from a large number of seed planted in a small pot or pan make a very handsome table decoration. See Asparagus, Esculent.

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Asparagus (the Greek name). Liliceae. Asparagus. Smilax (greenhouse). Asparagus Fern. A large genus of herbaceous perennials and tender woody shrubs and vines, grown mostly for ornamental habit and foliage, but one of them (A. officinalis) for food.

Asparagus (the Greek name). Liliceae. Asparagus. Smilax (greenhouse). Asparagus Fern. A large genus of herbaceous perennials and tender woody shrubs and vines, grown mostly for ornamental habit and foliage, but one of them (A. officinalis) for food.

Plants provided with short underground rhizomes from which the aerial sts. arise in serial order: roots often tuberous, sometimes fleshy but long-cylindric as in A. officinalis: sts. varying from low herbs to stout woody vines 50 ft. or more long: Lvs. reduced to scale- like bracts usually with a basal spur, often spiny; 11'.- function performed by special sterile twigs, cladodes (phyllodia, cladophylls, i.e., If.-like branchlets) of determinate growth and of characteristic shape with each species (see Fig. 411): fls. usually axillary, or terminal, in 1-4's, sometimes umbellate, often racemose on special branches lacking the cladodes, small; perianth 6-parted; stamens 6, free, filament attached to base of perianth lobes; ovary 3-celled, stigma 3- paited (except in Section Kodiastigma), ovules 2-6 in locule: fr. a berry 1-, 3-, 6- or more seeded; seed globose or flat on one side, testa usually black, embryo straight, surrounded by a hard endosperm.—About 150 species, all native of the Old World, ranging from Siberia to Cape of Good Hope, usually from dry regions. Monogr. by Baker, Journ. Linn. Soc. 14 (1875); account of cult, species by Watson, G.C. III. 23:122, 147, 178.

Plants provided with short underground rhizomes from which the aerial sts. arise in serial order: roots often tuberous, sometimes fleshy but long-cylindric as in A. officinalis: sts. varying from low herbs to stout woody vines 50 ft. or more long: Lvs. reduced to scale- like bracts usually with a basal spur, often spiny; 11'.- function performed by special sterile twigs, cladodes (phyllodia, cladophylls, i.e., If.-like branchlets) of determinate growth and of characteristic shape with each species: fls. usually axillary, or terminal, in 1-4's, sometimes umbellate, often racemose on special branches lacking the cladodes, small; perianth 6-parted; stamens 6, free, filament attached to base of perianth lobes; ovary 3-celled, stigma 3- paited (except in Section Kodiastigma), ovules 2-6 in locule: fr. a berry 1-, 3-, 6- or more seeded; seed globose or flat on one side, testa usually black, embryo straight, surrounded by a hard endosperm.—About 150 species, all native of the Old World, ranging from Siberia to Cape of Good Hope, usually from dry regions.

This large genus is remarkable for its lack of functional leaves, whose place is taken by the leaf-like cladodes which are usually considered as leaves. The cladodes are usually borne in fascicles of three to forty in the axils of the leaf-scale; in A. stipulaceus the leaf-like cladode is solitary in the axils. 1 he woody members of the genus often have the base of the leaf- scale developed into a strong spine. In some groups the cladodes are spiny tipped. A. stipulaceus and its relatives (apparently not in cult.) have the side branches developed into thorns.

This large genus is remarkable for its lack of functional leaves, whose place is taken by the leaf-like cladodes which are usually considered as leaves. The cladodes are usually borne in fascicles of three to forty in the axils of the leaf-scale; in A. stipulaceus the leaf-like cladode is solitary in the axils. 1 he woody members of the genus often have the base of the leaf- scale developed into a strong spine. In some groups the cladodes are spiny tipped. A. stipulaceus and its relatives (apparently not in cult.) have the side branches developed into thorns.

Nearly all the species are of easy culture and can be propagated readily by seed which is usually produced in abundance; also propagated by division and in some woody forms by cuttings.

Nearly all the species are of easy culture and can be propagated readily by seed which is usually produced in abundance; also propagated by division and in some woody forms by cuttings.

A. acutifolius. Linn. Semi-hardy, becoming a woody shrub in the S., zigzag, branching, 5 ft.: cladodes short, stiff, terete, spiny- tipped in fascicles of 5-12, Kin. long: fls. dioecious, yellow: berry waxy olive-green.—A dark green cedar-like ornamental. Medit. region.—A. aethiopicus. Linn. Tropical vine: cladodes 3-5 ft,, linear falcate, 1-2 in. long: If.-base spiny: fls. in racemes, near A. Sprengeri. S.'Afr.—A. africanus, Lam. Woody semi-climber, spiny: cladodes filiform-terete, stiff, dark green, up to 20 in a cluster 1 in. long: fls. in umbels. S. Afr.—A. albus, Linn. (A. Pastorisnus, Webb A Berth.). A white-stemmed branching woody shrub, semi-hardy, 3- 4 ft. high: cladodes densely fascicled, 1 in. long: lf.-scale with a long sharp spine: fls. in umbels. Medit. region.—Very susceptible to attacks of red-spider. G.Z. 1907:31.—A. asiaticus, Linn. A tall branching woody vine: cladodes numerous in clusters, soft-filiform, ½ in. long: fls. in umbels. S. Afr.—A. declinatus,. Linn. Allied to A. plumosus but with cladodes about ½ in. long: branches slender, drooping: fls. axillary, small, white: berries 1-seeded. S. Afr.—A. laricinus, Burch. A woody shrub suggesting A. retrofractus but with cladodes 1 in. long. S. Afr. G.C. III. 23:122.—A. longipes, Baker. A copiously branched undershrub with subterete slender green cladodes ½-1 in. long in whorls of 9-12: fls. axillary, solitary or paired. S. Cent. Afr.—A. myriocladus, Hort. (A. Green- fieldii, Hort.). An erect, much-branched shrub, 6 ft., with tuberous roots: st. gray: branches zigzag with dense clusters of light green filiform cladodes ¾ in. long, becoming dark green with age.—Very ornamental: fls. unknown, but it is closely related in type to A. retrofractus. Natal. G. 25:293; 33:435. Gng. 12:547. F.E. 16:637. The true A. myriocladus. Baker, is related to A. Sprengeri and has flat cladodes and racemose fls. This species is apparently not in cultivation.—A. oligoclonus, Maxim. Erect, hardy herbaceous perennial suggesting A. officinalis: cladodes more dense, slender and graceful: 1-2 ft.: fls. dioecious, campanulate. N. Asia.—A. schoberioides, Kunth. Erect, hardy herbaceous perennial, 1-3 ft.: roots tuberous: cladodes long, 3-angled, flat, ascending: fls. nearly sessile, dioecious: berries red. Japan and China.—A. Sieberianus, Hort. A supposed hybrid between A. crispus and A. plumosus tenuissimus: sts. slender, rigid, with slightly curved cladodes. Distinct and valuable as a market plant.—A. tenuifolius. Lam. Herbaceous perennial: like A. officinnalis, with very slender, numerous cladodes and large bright red berries. S. Eu.—A. trichophyllus, Bunge. Hardy herbaceous perennial, somewhat twining, 3-6 ft.: cladodes like A. officinalis, ¼-1 in. long: fls. dioecious (long-campanulate) on drooping pedicels. N. Asia.

A. acutifolius. Linn. Semi-hardy, becoming a woody shrub in the S., zigzag, branching, 5 ft.: cladodes short, stiff, terete, spiny- tipped in fascicles of 5-12, Kin. long: fls. dioecious, yellow: berry waxy olive-green.—A dark green cedar-like ornamental. Medit. region.—A. aethiopicus. Linn. Tropical vine: cladodes 3-5 ft,, linear falcate, 1-2 in. long: If.-base spiny: fls. in racemes, near A. Sprengeri. S.'Afr.—A. africanus, Lam. Woody semi-climber, spiny: cladodes filiform-terete, stiff, dark green, up to 20 in a cluster 1 in. long: fls. in umbels. S. Afr.—A. albus, Linn. (A. Pastorisnus, Webb A Berth.). A white-stemmed branching woody shrub, semi-hardy, 3- 4 ft. high: cladodes densely fascicled, 1 in. long: lf.-scale with a long sharp spine: fls. in umbels. Medit. region.—Very susceptible to attacks of red-spider. G.Z. 1907:31.—A. asiaticus, Linn. A tall branching woody vine: cladodes numerous in clusters, soft-filiform, ½ in. long: fls. in umbels. S. Afr.—A. declinatus,. Linn. Allied to A. plumosus but with cladodes about ½ in. long: branches slender, drooping: fls. axillary, small, white: berries 1-seeded. S. Afr.—A. laricinus, Burch. A woody shrub suggesting A. retrofractus but with cladodes 1 in. long. S. Afr. G.C. III. 23:122.—A. longipes, Baker. A copiously branched undershrub with subterete slender green cladodes ½-1 in. long in whorls of 9-12: fls. axillary, solitary or paired. S. Cent. Afr.—A. myriocladus, Hort. (A. Green- fieldii, Hort.). An erect, much-branched shrub, 6 ft., with tuberous roots: st. gray: branches zigzag with dense clusters of light green filiform cladodes ¾ in. long, becoming dark green with age.—Very ornamental: fls. unknown, but it is closely related in type to A. retrofractus. Natal. The true A. myriocladus. Baker, is related to A. Sprengeri and has flat cladodes and racemose fls. This species is apparently not in cultivation.—A. oligoclonus, Maxim. Erect, hardy herbaceous perennial suggesting A. officinalis: cladodes more dense, slender and graceful: 1-2 ft.: fls. dioecious, campanulate. N. Asia.—A. schoberioides, Kunth. Erect, hardy herbaceous perennial, 1-3 ft.: roots tuberous: cladodes long, 3-angled, flat, ascending: fls. nearly sessile, dioecious: berries red. Japan and China.—A. Sieberianus, Hort. A supposed hybrid between A. crispus and A. plumosus tenuissimus: sts. slender, rigid, with slightly curved cladodes. Distinct and valuable as a market plant.—A. tenuifolius. Lam. Herbaceous perennial: like A. officinnalis, with very slender, numerous cladodes and large bright red berries. S. Eu.—A. trichophyllus, Bunge. Hardy herbaceous perennial, somewhat twining, 3-6 ft.: cladodes like A. officinalis, ¼-1 in. long: fls. dioecious (long-campanulate) on drooping pedicels. N. Asia.

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==Cultivation==

==Cultivation==

Seeds planted in the spring become strong plants in the first season, but most people buy roots.  Seedlings as well as plump roots bought from the store should be planted either in the fall/winter (mild climates) or early spring (cold winter climates).  Plant in 1ft wide, 8-10in deep trenches, with themselves trenches 4-6in apart.  Manure-enriched compost/soil should be heaped loosely at the bottom of the trench, and watered in well.  Plant roots/seedlings a foot apart, in such a way that tops are 6-8in below trench top.  Roots should be evenly spread, and covered with 2in of soil and given more water.

Seeds planted in the spring become strong plants in the first season, but most people buy roots.  Seedlings as well as plump roots bought from the store should be planted either in the fall/winter (mild climates) or early spring (cold winter climates).  Plant in 1ft wide, 8-10in deep trenches, with themselves trenches 4-6in apart.  Manure-enriched compost/soil should be heaped loosely at the bottom of the trench, and watered in well.  Plant roots/seedlings a foot apart, in such a way that tops are 6-8in below trench top.  Roots should be evenly spread, and covered with 2in of soil and given more water.

==External links==

==External links==