Japanese name: アスパラガス‘スプレンゲリ’ Scientific name:Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’
[Overview]
A cultivar of Hoki-tenmondo, a perennial with tuberous roots.
The stems are angular, much branched and drooping, reaching 1 m in length.
The stems have fine thorns.
The true leaves are reduced to scales.
The cladodes, branches modified to look like leaves, are linear, about 2 cm long and glossy, and are densely borne on the stems.
The flowers are small, pale pink to white, with 6 tepals.
The fruit is spherical and ripens red.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by division and from seed.
It prefers well-drained soil in sun to partial shade.
Strong direct sun in summer can cause leaf scorch, so it is best placed in partial shade in midsummer.
It is relatively cold-tolerant, but strong cold kills the parts above ground, so bring potted plants indoors to a sunny place in winter.
For plants in the ground, even if the parts above ground die back, they sprout again in spring as long as the roots do not freeze, so protect them from cold with straw laid on the ground or similar.
For potted plants, water thoroughly after the soil dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Mist the leaves from time to time.
Apply liquid fertilizer once a month from spring to autumn.
Pests and diseases include scale insects, spider mites and aphids.
