Houseplant asparagus is a perennial from the asparagus family. It is easy to grow, it is unpretentious. The plant is of several types: creepers, herbs, shrubs. In the wild, asparagus are found in warm regions of Europe, Asia and Africa. This unusual shaggy flower is often grown indoors, in open ground. It is easy to propagate from seed.
Description
The houseplant asparagus has beautiful openwork twigs, which are often used by florists when making bouquets. In spring, fleshy shoots appear on the flower, which are used in cooking. They contain many trace elements, vitamins.
A plant can live for twenty years, forming up to fifty edible shoots during its long life. The plant itself is grown both outdoors and at home.
Indoor RootThe asparagus plant is a rhizome. The flowers of the plant are similar to lilies, because of this, it has long been attributed to lilies.
The leaves of the flower are needle-like, soft (this type of leaves is called cladodia). If you prune the shoot, it will no longer grow. From such lashes it is impossible to take material for reproduction. New shoots appear from the rhizome, the old ones gradually dry up.
Asparagus is a self-pollinating plant species.
Plant varieties
Despite its attractive appearance, the flower came to the attention of flower growers only in the 19th century. All asparagus houseplants grown today differ in appearance: there are beautiful shrubs, unusual vines. The most commonly grown species are:
- Asparagus vulgaris. This variety is characterized by straight stems, up to one and a half meters long. Another name for the species is medicinal asparagus or pharmacy. The leaves are directed upward or along the branch. The variety blooms with white flowers, after which red berries form on it.
- Often found among houseplants asparagus pinnate. This is something between a Christmas tree and a fern. The plant forms a small bush, which is covered with pale yellow flowers. After flowering, dark blue fruits are formed. This variety is excellent for growing on western and eastern windows. It should not be placed on northern windows, in the shade, or in direct sunlight.
- Another popular houseplant variety isMeyer's asparagus. On the branches of the variety there are a huge number of mini-needles, which is why the branches look like the tail of animals. The length of these "tails" reaches eighty centimeters. The variety loves bright places without direct sunlight. It blooms with white, small flowers. After flowering, red fruits appear with black seeds inside.
- A houseplant asparagus Sprenger has a slightly different look. This variety is characterized by small fluffy needles, of a pale green hue, located on one and a half meter shoots. They look like long branches with lace. The flowers are white, like lilies. The variety does not like direct sunlight. In the warm season, it requires abundant watering, spraying, and in winter, watering is reduced.
- Houseplant asparagus crescent has notches and hooks on the branches. Stems and needles are longer than other varieties. In the wild, the variety is found near trees, along which the stems rise up to a height of more than a meter. At home, the plant is tied up or grown in hanging pots. The variety is hardy. Gradually, the flower grows a rhizome resembling a radish. Crescent asparagus blooms with white flowers with a pleasant aroma, after which small brown fruits are formed.
- Asparagus asparagus. Shoots are egg-shaped. The leaves are thin, bright green, glossy. Indoors, the variety usually does not bloom, but when grown outdoors, it blooms, and then forms orange fruits with a pleasant orange aroma.
There are other varieties of asparagus: there are more than300. Almost all of them can be grown indoors.
Features of care
All types of indoor plants such as Ethiopian asparagus (Meyeri and other varieties) are not particularly demanding to care for. When growing, the main thing is to follow a few simple rules, and the flower will become a real decoration of the room.
After purchasing any kind of asparagus, it is advisable to immediately transplant the plant into a pot with nutrient soil. During this process, be sure to inspect the root system. In some cases, transplantation of purchased specimens is not required. It is enough just to see how the plant behaves: if there are no yellowed leaves and they do not fall off, then the flower is comfortable.
Ground requirements
Asparagus feels good in the usual universal soil. However, the plant develops best in a mixture composed of leafy soil and sand in a 1:1 ratio.
Lighting Requirements
All species prefer bright, diffused light, without direct sunlight. The feathery species prefers shade.
Western and eastern windows are best for the plant. In the summer, it is recommended to take the flower to fresh air: place the pot on the balcony, in the garden.
Temperature conditions
Asparagus tolerates temperature changes very well. In the spring-autumn period, the plant is kept at a temperature of 20-24 degrees. In winter, it is provided with a temperature of about 15 degrees, without drafts,precipitation.
Irrigation features
All houseplants asparagus: Ethiopian sprengeri, asparagus, pinnate and others, prefer moist soil. Because of this, in the warm season, the flower is watered abundantly. The soil must not be allowed to dry out. Asparagus needs constant spraying.
In the winter season, watering is reduced. But even in this case, the drying of the earthy coma should not be allowed, otherwise it will lead to the death of the rhizome. Spraying plants during the heating season is carried out more often than in another period.
Flowering
Asparagus blooms with miniature bluebells. The flowers are dioecious, most are in the leaf axils. The plant has the correct perianth.
The plant usually has a trihedral ovary and six stamens, short style, three stigmas. It blooms with white, pale yellow, pale pink flowers. Flowers are located on the entire surface of the stem. When opened, they emit a pleasant aroma. After flowering, small fruits are formed that are red or brown, and in some varieties - blue-black. Outwardly, the fruits look like a six-parted berry, which contains seeds.
Asparagus blooms at the age of five years. Younger plants do not bloom. When grown indoors, flowering can be seen in single specimens. Usually, in order to get seeds, flower growers take pots to the balcony or plant asparagus in open ground.
Features of reproduction
Asparagus is propagated by seeds, rhizomes, cuttings.
The easiest way to get a new plant is to propagate by rhizome. To obtain several copies, the overgrown root is divided and seated in different pots. A layer of drainage must be laid at the bottom of the tank. The root is placed in the center of the pot, sprinkled with soil, while the soil level should not be higher than before.
Transplantation of indoor asparagus is carried out every two years. During this process, make sure that the plant has enough space in the container, otherwise it will die.
Reproduction by cuttings is carried out in early spring. To do this, cut off he althy processes, place them in wet sand. The seedlings are placed in a mini-greenhouse - rooting takes about a month. After that, the cuttings are moved to fertile soil. You can do it differently: put the stalk in water and wait for the moment when the roots appear. After that, the plant is transplanted into the ground.
Asparagus reproduces well by seeds. You can collect them yourself or purchase your favorite variety in the store.
Sowing seeds is carried out in light, fertile soil, sprinkled with soil on top and covered with glass or placed in a mini-greenhouse. Containers with crops are placed in a bright place. Periodically ventilate the crops by removing the glass. Sprouts appear in about a month. As soon as they reach a height of 8-10 cm, they carry out the first pick.
Formation features
Asparagus has an attractive appearance and stays fresh for a long time when cut. Because of the openworkgreen and light, the stems are often used in flower arrangements.
The plant is fast growing. So that they grow into a beautiful ball, they produce its formation. For this purpose, use a sharp knife or garden shears. If the plant is grown for cooking, then the bushes do not form. With food come 2-3-year-old stems. In other cases, the lashes are trimmed. It is worth considering that after pruning, the branches stop growing in length. After this procedure, the plant begins to grow new shoots from the root. Thus, you can create the most unusual, beautiful "Christmas tree" balls.
Difficulty growing
All types of houseplants asparagus - bristle-shaped and other varieties - are easy to care for. However, in rare cases, the flower can be damaged by pests: thrips, scale insects, aphids. Also, asparagus is often damaged by gray mold.
The scale insect larvae live on the shoots and on the upper side of the leaves. The affected areas turn yellow, then die. The fight against this pest takes place by treatment with soap or alcohol solutions. In case of severe infection, special preparations are used, such as Fufanon, etc.
When a plant is affected by rot or any other fungal infection, they are treated with special preparations, for example, Fitosporin, Bordeaux liquid, copper oxychloride.
If you follow the rules of care, the plant will delight with its beauty for many years. If asparagus will be grown in open ground, then periodicspraying with means of protection against pests and fungal diseases.
