Asparagus aethiopicus
(c) Tony Rebelo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Tony Rebelo · licence
Family: Asparagaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Asparagus aethiopicus is a non-native California shrub in the Asparagaceae family, recognized by narrow branchlets and axillary racemes.
Asparagus aethiopicus is a naturalized perennial found in southern California coastal areas in disturbed places and abandoned gardens at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces small white to greenish-white flowers in delicate axillary racemes with 5 to 9 blooms. Growing with sprawling stems up to 2 meters long and very thin branchlets less than 1 millimeter wide, it develops fibrous and tuberous roots. Its membranous leaves are subtle and unspurred, creating a delicate green groundcover. The fruit develops as small round red berries 5 to 8 millimeters in diameter, adding visual interest to the plant's spreading form.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; key features are narrow branchlets and axillary racemes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed places, abandoned gardens
Elevation: < 100 m
Outside California: Florida, native to southern Africa
Bloom period
Asparagus aethiopicus blooms Aug-Oct.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Ruscus: Both flower on green modified stems, but Ruscus cladodes are broad, rigid and leaf-like with flowers borne on their surface; Asparagus cladodes are needle-like to thread-fine and clustered, with flowers in axillary racemes.; vs ferns: Asparagus 'fern' foliage is made of green cladodes and the plant flowers and sets red berries; true ferns never flower, reproducing by spores under the frond.; vs Muehlenbeckia: Asparagus has clustered needle cladodes and red berries; Muehlenbeckia (wireweed) is a wiry vine with small rounded true leaves and a papery ocrea at the nodes.; vs Ephedra: Asparagus is a soft green sprawler with cladodes and berries; Ephedra (Mormon tea) is a rigid jointed desert shrub with opposite scale-leaves and cones.; vs Smilax: Asparagus has soft needle-like cladodes and no tendrils; Smilax (greenbrier) has broad net-veined true leaves and paired tendrils, often on prickly stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Asparagus aethiopicus native to California?
No. Asparagus aethiopicus is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Asparagus aethiopicus bloom?
Asparagus aethiopicus blooms Aug-Oct.
What plant family does Asparagus aethiopicus belong to?
Asparagus aethiopicus is in the Asparagaceae family, genus Asparagus.
Is Asparagus aethiopicus invasive in California?
Asparagus aethiopicus is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
What habitat does Asparagus aethiopicus grow in?
Asparagus aethiopicus grows in Disturbed places, abandoned gardens.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.