Pinnate Asparagusis a wonderful, easy-to-grow and extremely hardy houseplant that likes lightly shaded and cool rooms. Delicate and intensegreen sprouts of asparagus resemble fern leavesand are very often used as decorative greenery in bouquets. See what it looks likegrowing asparagus in a potHere are the secrets of the care of feathery asparagus, thanks to which it will decorate your home for many years!
Pinnate Asparagus - Asparagus setaceus
Fig. © Agnieszka Lach
Pinnate asparagus - description
"Pinnate Asparagus(Asparagus setaceus, syn. A. plumosum), often called ornamental asparagus or quite incorrectly fern, is an interesting houseplant from South Africa. Pinnate asparagus grows vigorously, forming stiff, initially raised, and later overhanging, juicy green shoots.Pinnate asparagus shoots are overgrown with acicular green formations called(aka cladodium or cladophylls) that give the plant a delicate appearance. The actual asparagus leaves are transformed into scales.The feathery asparagus can bloom in an apartment , creating inconspicuous white flowers that develop attractive red, but unfortunately poisonous berries. "
In home cultivation, thedwarf form of feathered asparagus, called 'Nanus'(Asparagus plumosus var. Nanus) is the most common. The plant is eagerly used in modern plant decorations, such as e.g. forest in glass.
Pinnate Aspragus - cultivation and requirements
Pinnate Asparagus prefers locations with a lot of diffused sunlightAlso tolerates shady places, but better lighting guarantees intense coloration and faster plant growth.Direct, too strong sunlight causes yellowing, drying out and falling off needle-shaped branches
Feathered asparagus should grow indoors all year roundFeels good in cool and well-ventilated rooms.The optimal cultivation temperature for feathered asparagus is 12-18 ° C in summer and around 8 ° C in winterThe maximum growing temperature is 21 ° C, but with good airing for the plant. Too high temperature in the room causes the branches to turn yellow and fall off. In winter, be careful of drafts. Rapid temperature drops below 8 ° C cause damage to the shoots and dieback of asparagus. However, frozen asparagus can be saved by cutting off all the shoots and further cultivating the underground part of the plant, from which it will bounce over time, in a bright place at a temperature of around 13 ° C.
Pinnate asparagus 'Nanus'
Fig. depositphotos.com
For the cultivation of pinnate asparagus, the universal substrate for potted plants is perfect . Such a substrate should be enriched with one dose of clay soil and sand.
Aspragus care - watering and fertilizing
One of the most important elements of feathered asparagus care is proper watering . Both drying and flooding of the root ball lead to yellowing and falling off of the needle-shaped branches.
During the period of vigorous growth,feathered asparagus needs a lot of waterThe plant, depending on the growing location, should be watered 2-3 times a week to keep the soil in the pot moderately moist, but never you can let the pot stand in the water. In poorly lit areas, asparagus is watered less frequently. Pinnate asparagus tolerates short-term drying of the substrate , but it is much better for the plant if the soil in the pot is moderately moist all the time. During the winter months, the asparagus is watered once a week to prevent the soil in the pot from drying out.
Asparagus likes high air humidity and daily spraying(especially during the heating season). For this reason, it is a very good potted plant for the bathroom, as long as it is a bright bathroom with a window.
Pinnate asparagus has high nutritional requirements. Therefore, during the growing season (March-September)asparagus must be fed with green plant fertilizer diluted in water every 2 weeks .
Replanting, rejuvenating and reproducing asparagus
Feathered asparagus grows best in a pot that is a bit too tightThe plant is transplanted when the roots escape through the holes in the bottom of the pot. Asparagus is best transplanted in the spring.
When transplanting, the plant can be divided into several parts, thus obtaining daughter plants. This isthe easiest way to reproduce sparagusThe root ball is torn apart and the resulting seedlings are planted in separate pots and watered abundantly. Freshly planted plants are placed in a shaded area for 48 hours.
When the asparagus loses its nice appearance, its stems begin to hang strongly and strip it, it can be rejuvenatedAll its shoots are then cut a few centimeters above the ground, and the pot with the root ball is placed in a cool ( approx. 13 ° C) and in a well-lit place. Throughout the regeneration period, remember to water the plant regularly. The same treatment can be performed when the asparagus is dry.
MSc Eng. Agnieszka Lach
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