sparrow grass

My husband has been patiently planting asparagus in our yard for a couple of years now. No harvest yet…but we are hopeful. Although, I think the critters are the ones who are winning. When asparagus first emerges, slim, tender (edible) spears appear. As the spears mature, they become woody at the base while the tips begin to open and develop into airy fern-like foliage. As the asparagus ferns out, female spears produce green berries that eventually turn red. I snatched this waist-high ferned-out asparagus on one of my several walking trails this fall. i should have used it as my christmas tree.

adult asparagus ferns with red berries (Asparagus officinalis)