Asparagus is an amazing plant. It abounds along fence lines and in prairie areas and seems to be resistant to any chemical drift it may get in the country. It produces a yummy crop of spears in the spring that can be harvested and lightly boiled, eaten fresh or grilled. Gardeners in Spirit Lake, Storm Lake, Sheldon and Okoboji have been purchasing Asparagus crowns from Del’s Garden Center for decades and many of these plants are still growing and producing in area gardens! Asparagus is a reliable and long-lived perennial plant that is deeply rooted and resistant to drought! But there are some ornamental uses and landscape uses for this plant as well.
The ferny foliage grows to a height of three to four feet with a very fine texture! This plant does not have to be relegated to only the garden and looks great in the landscape. When used as a backdrop for Hardy Hibiscus, the large blooms of the Hibiscus and colorful foliage stand out in stark contrast to the Asparagus foliage. Rose bushes also look great with a hedge of Asparagus as a background. The large, scalloped leaves of Coralbells, Bergenia, and even Hosta look fabulous with Asparagus foliage.
The fall colors of Asparagus also add to the ornamental qualities of this plant. The medium green foliage takes on a lime-green then yellow tone finally finishing to a bright golden-yellow in the fall. Female plants also display a colorful collection of pea-sized fruits that are a wonderful orange and red in the fall. I think the fall colors of Asparagus rival those of Amsonia which is commonly planted in flowerbeds and shrub borders. The fall colors of both Amsonia and Asparagus last for a very long time!
The thick stalks of Asparagus also make this plant an ideal choice for a living snow fence. Planted in the right location, the stalks and ferns grow 3-4’ tall and 2-3’ wide with a dense collection of stalks and branches! You will see Asparagus standing up all winter long along fence lines and they stop a lot of snow. When the time and energy spent putting up and put away a snow fence are added up, Asparagus becomes an economical alternative that pays the dividends of high-quality food in the spring! Simply mow off the hedge in the spring and let the plants grow food for you! Annual applications of mulch to help control weed competition are helpful. Fertilizing after harvest in June with Gardener’s Special 11-15-11 fertilizer helps put on a flush of ferns to build up the underground crowns to produce an abundant harvest the next spring. So don’t relegate the Asparagus only to the garden with the Rhubarb, Blueberries, Raspberries and Strawberries! This plant has ornamental qualities that are worthy of other places in the landscape!
– Todd Brockshus Senior Horticulturalist