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Asparagus asparagoides

Cape smilax

SunFull Sun – Part Shade – Full Shade

Overview

Asparagus asparagoides is a perennial climbing or scrambling plant growing from a dense mat of fleshy underground tubers, with wiry twining stems 1-3 m (3-10 ft) long. What appear to be broad glossy bright-green leaves are flattened leaf-like stems called cladodes, 1-3 cm (0.4-1.2 in) long, ovate and pointed, the true leaves reduced to scales. Small greenish-white bell-shaped flowers about 8-9 mm (0.35 in) wide hang singly along the stems in late winter and spring, followed by round berries 6-10 mm (0.25-0.4 in) wide that ripen translucent red, each holding several black seeds spread by birds. The stems die back over summer while the tuber mat survives, resprouting after autumn rain. Native to southern Africa, it is grown elsewhere as foliage for cut arrangements. In southern Australia it is a Weed of National Significance, forming smothering ground layers and dense root mats in bushland, where it suppresses native seedlings. The thick tuber mat makes it hard to remove and lets it regrow from fragments.

Native Range

Native to southern Africa, from South Africa to eastern Africa, in woodland and scrub. It has naturalised widely in southern Australia and New Zealand, where it is a recognised invasive weed.

Suggested Uses

Grown historically as glossy foliage for floristry and bridal arrangements, the source of its common name. Because it is an invasive Weed of National Significance in Australia, it is not planted in gardens there and is the target of removal and biocontrol programs.

How to Identify

Look for wiry twining stems clothed in glossy bright-green ovate cladodes that look like leaves, small hanging greenish-white bell flowers, and translucent red berries. Below ground it forms a dense mat of fleshy tubers. The combination of flat leaf-like cladodes and red berries on a twining stem is characteristic.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 10'

Width/Spread3' - 6'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

white

green

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Winter Spring

Greenish-white bell-shaped flowers hang along the stems in late winter and early spring, July to September in southern Australia. They are followed in spring and summer by translucent red berries. Flowering and fruiting coincide with the cooler growing season before summer dieback.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Bright glossy green cladodes

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Requires 2-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam clay

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

As a vigorous scrambler from tuberous roots, it grows in sun or shade on most soils and tolerates dry summers by dying back to its tubers. It needs no cultivation to persist and spreads from both seed and tuber fragments. In gardens it can escape into surrounding bushland, and in much of southern Australia its sale and movement are restricted under weed laws. Removal requires digging out the whole tuber mat, as cut stems alone regrow. It tolerates frost while dormant and drought through summer.

Pruning

Cutting back the stems does not kill the plant, which resprouts from the tuber mat. Removing flower and berry stems before fruit ripens reduces seed spread. Lasting control comes from removing the underground tubers rather than the top growth.

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Toxic to pets and humans