Emerald Feather
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Not yet rated How forgiving it is has not been judged here yet.
Also called Asparagus, Asparagus Fern, Emerald Fern, Lace Fern, Plumosa Fern, Racemose Asparagus, Shatavari, Sprenger's asparagus fern and Sprengeri Fern.
Emerald Feather is toxic
- Toxic to cats. Clinical signs: Allergic dermatitis with repeated dermal exposure. Berry ingestion could result in gastric upset (vomiting, abdominal pain, or diarrhea). ASPCA
- Toxic to dogs. Clinical signs: Allergic dermatitis with repeated dermal exposure. Berry ingestion could result in gastric upset (vomiting, abdominal pain, or diarrhea). ASPCA
- Toxic to people. Can cause skin allergy; the fruits are harmful when eaten. Use gloves and protective gear when handling it. RHS
What the sources say about its care
Sources file this plant under other names: Asparagus densiflorus 'Myersii' AGM, Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group, Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group AGM, Asparagus densiflorus cv. Myers, Asparagus densiflorus cv. Sprengeri. Citations below point at the name its source uses.
- Light
- Medium light 100 fcClemson Extension, filed as Asparagus densiflorus cv. Myers · read 13 September 2026Partial shadeRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Water
- Moist but well-drainedRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
No source read publishes a humidity figure for any plant on this site. What follows is general guidance for foliage plants.
ASHRAE recommends indoor relative humidity between 30% and 60% 30–60%Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026- Temperature
How cold this tolerates, not what it prefers. No source read for this site publishes a preferred range for a plant indoors.
H1C — 5–10°C 5–10 °CRHS · read 13 September 2026- Soil
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand; pH Acid or Alkaline or NeutralRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to cats
- ToxicASPCA, filed as Asparagus densiflorus cv sprengeri · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to dogs
- ToxicASPCA, filed as Asparagus densiflorus cv sprengeri · read 13 September 2026
- Harmful to people
- Can cause skin allergy; the fruits are harmful when eaten. Use gloves and protective gear when handling it.RHS · read 13 September 2026
Routine care
- Watering
- Likes moderate warmth, regular water from spring to autumn and little in winter. It adapts to a broad range of light, temperature and watering frequency.NC State Extension, filed as Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group · read 13 September 2026
- Propagation
- SeedNC State Extension, filed as Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group · read 13 September 2026Increase from seed or division.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pruning
- Pruning is not needed.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by aphids, slugs and snails, and mealybugs.NC State Extension, filed as Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group · read 13 September 2026Can be troubled by snails, slugs and asparagus beetle. Diseases: usually none.RHS · read 13 September 2026
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Photographs
About the plant
Asparagus densiflorus (among several species colloquially called asparagus ferns; no relation to actual ferns), or the foxtail fern (asparagus) or plume fern, is a variable, evergreen-perennial plant related to cultivated, edible asparagus.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · read 13 September 2026
- Native range
- Mozambique (Inhaca Is.) to S. AfricaWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026South AfricaNC State Extension, filed as Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group · read 13 September 2026
- Climate
- subtropicalWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- Growth form
- perennialWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026Ground Cover, Herbaceous Perennial; habit arching, erectNC State Extension, filed as Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group · read 13 September 2026Clump forming (evergreen)RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Size
- Height 18–36 in; width 36–48 inNC State Extension, filed as Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group · read 13 September 2026Height 0.1-0.5 metres; spread 0.5-1 metres after 2–5 yearsRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Flowering
- Flowers gold/yellow, green; blooms in spring, summerNC State Extension, filed as Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group · read 13 September 2026Flowers green in summerRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Uses
What sources record people using this plant for. A traditional or medicinal use listed here is a record of use, not advice to eat it or treat anything with it.
Ground coverNC State Extension, filed as Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri Group · read 13 September 2026
Other Asparagus
More of the Asparagaceae family
Cast iron plantBlade tips go crisp and brown
DracaenaBrown tips on the newest blades first
HyacinthFlowering stops while the foliage carries on
Lucky bambooCrisp margins that appear in winter
Ponytail palmBlades hang and feel thin between the fingers
Snake plantBlades hang and feel thin between the fingers
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Sources
- ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Clemson Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Wikipedia · read 13 September 2026
What this does not cover
The figures above are what published sources say, not measurements of the plant in your room. They say nothing about your pot size, your water, the season, or how far from the glass the plant stands, and those decide more than any figure here does.
Humidity has no species figure because no source read for this site publishes one, and the only temperature published for this plant is a cold floor. The simulator fills those gaps with general figures for its kind of plant, marked as general and listed on how we read sources. Where a toxicity row says the plant was not assessed, that is the absence of a finding and not a finding of safety.
If something is already wrong, the diagnosis tool asks about the soil, the window and the watering, which is where the answer usually is.