Foxtail Fern 'Meyeri'
Asparagus densiflorus
In this landscape there were many foxtail ferns mixed with evergreens, perennials and winter annuals that are just starting to bloom in January. The foxtail ferns add textural interest and color and form contrast. Red berries are just starting to develop on them.(San Antonio, Tx.)
The form reminds me of an aquatic plant in an aquarium.
Susan, they sure do, don't they. It is a wonderful fern that adds a lot of interest. The ones at this location were the greenest, healthiest looking ones I have ever seen. A lot of times, they are a much lighter or more yellow green. They produce tiny white flowers and red berries. The red berries are just now forming and did not show up in the photo after I uploaded it. I have always hesitated to plant them in my landscape for fear of them freezing. My mother has several huge ones growing in containers. We have experienced some nights that have had the temperatures drop into the 20s for a few hours which has not appeared to hurt these so far. Our coldest weather is yet to come so I'll wait and see how these do. I would sure like to set some in the ground somewhere in my yard. Thanks for your comment.
Iv got alot of the Foxtail Ferns but it seems like there just taking forever to grow.I want all 10 of mine to look just like that picture.
This message was edited Feb 26, 2007 7:09 PM
They do seem to be slow growers. Mine arer very large and have been in the same containers for 20 years or more. I imagine if I planted them in the ground that they would grow much larger. How long have you had them?
Iv just started buying them i guess thats why.But i just cant wait until they do get big.They have a look that i just love.
Does anybody know where I can buy mature Foxtail Ferns online at?
This message was edited Mar 2, 2007 8:34 PM
I have a friend whose foxtails are specimen quality. He has them in huge pots. AND, he says his secret to getting them so huge and green is to FEED then with plant food for ACID loving plants. He uses the MG for Azalias on his foxtails. They are total beauties!
Thanks for the information. I have never fed the ones I have.
P.S. I have starting using the old coffee left in the pot in a new experiment. I'm diluting the leftover coffee by 50% with water and pouring it on the Hydrangea AND on the foxtail fern. Will post findings when there are some results.
Htop,
I'm a bit confused about the difference between the Asparagus Fern and the Foxtail Fern. Are they one in the same? I don't think so, because the Foxtails look like bushy tails, and the Asparagus Ferns just billow down. Even the posts in the plant files have several that look more like Asparagus than true Foxtails.
Gymgirl. I have used coffee grounds before, but not the actual coffee. Let me know what happens. All of the photos in the PlantFiles are of foxtail ferns. Mine grow more upright when they are in a location that has bright light than when they are in a shadier location. When the fronds grow long, they bend over some. I think that the other asparagus fern you are talking about is Sprenger (Asparagus densiflorous - 'Sprengeri'). Its fronds are thinner and its leaves are smaller so it is much more "billowy". It does not grow as upright as the foxtail fern.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1850/index.html
Htop,
Thanks for the clarification. They jump over to everything they can latch onto. I managed to remove them from a small flowerbed that was almost overrun. It took forever to pull up those stringers and bulbs from underground. My DH has these all over the yard, in pots. They're about to disappear.....
We have a nice array of foxtail ferns in our front yard. We live in Tampa which is subtropical. Lately I notice the middle of the plants are dying and do not know the cause. We only water about once week for 30 minutes as our soil is quite sandy and does not drain well. Any help would be apprciated.
Mine occassionally loose a few fronds. Usually this happens in the spring when new growth is occurring. I don't know if this is typical of the plant. I just prune the yellowing fronds off at the base. I have noticed that if I water them too much or like now when we are receiving excessive rain for weeks and few hours of sunlight, fronds start to yellow. Plants that are over watered or under watered usually start to develop yellow leaves at the base. Mine are seriously rootbound in large containers. I very seldom water them. Perhaps yours are receiving too much water. Also, if I move them into an area that is mostly shade with little bright light, they do not look as "perky" and tend to have more yellowing fronds than normal.
This message was edited Sep 13, 2009 4:32 PM
I just purchased one and am scouring the web to determine if foxtail fern is as invasive as its cousin, asparagus fern.
I have had no new plants come up from seed. Mine are in containers so I do not know how fast the plant would spread by underground runners. Perhaps someone else will come along and answer your question.
