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Garden Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis

Commonly cultivated, commonly escaped to fencerows, roadsides, disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height
3–5 feet
Spread
1.5–3 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Usually moist
See native alternatives

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  • Black-eyed Susan
    Rudbeckia hirta

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    Similar growth form, height, spread

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    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Blue, yellow, purple or white.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

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At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Bloom
April to June
Fruiting season
July to October

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 6 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

28CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Asparagus

  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
  • Agrotis vetustaOld Man Dart
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Anarta trifoliiThe Nutmeg, Clover Cutworm
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Euxoa messoriaReaper Dart, Darksided Cutworm, Dark-Sided Cutworm
Show all 28
  • Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Herpetogramma bipunctalisSouthern Beet Webworm, Two-Spotted Herpetogramma
  • Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
  • Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
  • Lacanobia subjunctaSpeckled Arches, Subdues Arches, Harnessed Mamestra, Speckled Cutworm Moth, Grand Arches?(incorrectly)
  • Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
  • Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Spaelotis clandestinaClandestine Dart, W-Marked Cutworm
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
  • Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
  • Trichordestra legitimaStriped Garden Caterpillar Moth
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
1BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Asparagus

  • Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Asparagaceae
Hardiness
Zones 2a–9b
Soil pH
Neutral
Flower color
Yellow or green
Fruit begins
July
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Asparagus

Conservation status

West Virginia rankSNA
Global rankG5?
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources