Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Asparagus setaceus
Asparagus Fern
Despite the common name, Asparagus setaceus is not a fern at all but a scrambling South African perennial whose flattened sprays of fine cladodes mimic frond texture almost exactly. Young plants form a soft mound; with age they throw wiry climbing stems that will run to three metres or more over a support.
The fine texture is the point. It softens hard edges, fills the base of a trellis, and holds well in low light, which is why it has been an interior and shaded-courtyard staple for a century.
Specifications
- HeightClimbs to 3 metres with support, or holds as a compact mound 0.3 to 0.5 metres when young
- Width1.0 to 2.0 metres
- Native toSouthern and eastern Africa
- FoliageFlat, feathery sprays of fine bright green cladodes on wiry stems; evergreen
- Growth rateFast
Conditions
- SoilPrefers free-draining loamy soils with some organic matter
- LightPartial shade to bright indirect light; scorches in strong direct sun
- WaterModerate; tolerates short dry spells once established
- ClimateThrives in tropical and subtropical regions; frost sensitive
Additional Features
- UsesInterior planting, shaded courtyard beds, trellis and planter softening, and cut foliage
- SpacingPlant 0.5 to 0.8 metres apart, or one plant per support
- Low MaintenanceCut out old stems at the base each year to keep the plant fresh
- Pest ResistanceGenerally robust; spider mite appears only in dry indoor air
- ToxicityThe small red berries are toxic if eaten, and the stems carry fine spines
- VersatilityWorks as a trailing planter subject, a climber or a shaded groundlayer
The Asparagus Fern gives shaded and interior schemes a fine-textured filler that few other plants match.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 09 September 2026