Bridal veil

Asparagus declinatus

family

Asparagaceae

origin

Exotic

declaration

Category 3 Restricted Matter (Biosecurity Act 2014)

Category 3 Restricted Matter (Biosecurity Act 2014)

Must not be distributed or disposed. This means it must not be released into the environment unless the distribution or disposal is authorised in a regulation or under a permit.

Common names

Asparagus fern, Bridal creeper, Pale berry asparagus fern, South African creeper.

Fern with long, smooth stems, twining up to 2.5m, leaves are soft, needle-like, grey-green to 20mm long, occurring in groups of 3. Flowers are small, greenish-white, solitary or in pairs on short stalks., Fruit are spherical or ovoid, up to 8-15mm in diameter and ripen from green to pale bluish-grey or whitish-translucent, containing 2-14 seeds. Roots are a dense mat of fibrous rhizomes, with clusters of thick bulb-like ribbed tubers to 6 cm long; stems arise from the length of the rhizomes.

Leaf arrangement:Simple
Leaf form:Alternate
White
Green
Grey

Impact

Impact

It is a highly invasive and aggressive environmental weed that can successfully out-compete and displace native flora. Its dense, underground, tuberous root masses prevent the recruitment and regeneration of native plants and its aboveground stems smother ground-dwelling plants and shrubs. Hence, bridal veil (Asparagus declinatus) has the potential to become a severe threat to biodiversity in heavily infested areas.

Location

Location

Characteristics

Characteristics

Similar Species

Similar Species

Control Methods