Wild asparagus, Bush asparagus
Asparagus africanus

Family: Asparagaceae

What it is like

An erect shrub. It can be a scrambler or climbing. It grows 1.7 m high. It has wiry spiny branches. It grows each year from a woody base. The leaves are reduced to very small scales. There are clusters or leaf-like needles in the axils of leaves. The flowers are white or greenish-white. They are borne in the axils. The fruit are small red berries. They turn black when old.

There are between 160-300 Asparagus species. The fruit are nutritious.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the moist sand of bush savannah in West Africa. In Tanzania it grows up to 2,500 m above sea level in areas with 1,000-1,700 mm rainfall. It becomes common after burning.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Australia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Nigeria, North Africa, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young shoot tips are eaten. They are dug out, peeled and chewed. The fleshy root tubers can be eaten after extended cooking. The fruit are sucked.

They are eaten especially by children and herdsmen.

Edible parts

Shoots, root, seed, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds or root suckers.

Shoots are collected during the rainy season.

Its other names

Local names

Argeeg, Baraare, Hide sere, Hingarta, Hinkarta, Kasesanhanga, Kalipembeze, Kasolanhanga, Lagwar, Lukungwisa, Mwinika nguu, Seriti, Tshobatshobane

Synonyms

Asparagus asiaticus auct.; Protasparagus africanus (Lam.) Oberm.; Asparagus pubescens Bak.;