Temperature
60–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Asparagus fern
Asparagus setaceus
Asparagus fern wants bright indirect light and water every 4 to 9 days, once the top inch is dry. Toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
Three feet back from an east window. It is not a fern and wants more light than one, but direct sun yellows the fronds.
Water
Every 4–9 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Scores 2 of 5: vigorous and hard to kill outright. Loses points for shedding needles all over the floor whenever the air is dry.
Habit
Spreading
Grows to 12–36 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats and dogs — poison severity medium
Contains sapogenins. Reported signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says 2 sources concur
- ASPCA — entry for a different species in this genus: Asparagus densiflorus cv sprengeri
- Toxic to cats and dogs · sapogenins
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Medium · Sapogenins · If the berries are ingested, it can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea in humans and pets. Skin irritation can occur from contact with the plant's sap.
DISPLAY — in-content responsive
Light
Bright indirect light. Three feet back from an east window. It is not a fern and wants more light than one, but direct sun yellows the fronds.
Water
Every 4 to 9 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | keep evenly moist |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 1.5 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. The individual diagnosis pages are not built yet.
- Yellow leaves page not written yet
- Frond drop page not written yet
- Brown crispy edges page not written yet
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-11.
Propagation
Division in soil. Roots in 21 to 42 days.
| Preferred method | division |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil |
| Time to root | 21–42 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Asparagus densiflorus cv sprengeri Checked 2026-09-11.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Asparagus setaceus Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q1399941 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Asparagus setaceus Accepted name; family Asparagaceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Asparagus setaceus Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: Forest & Kim Starr, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY 3.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02