Flower ID: IMG_3993.JPG-06-18-2020 Flower name (scientific): Asparagus officinalis Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) ah-SPAIR-ah-gus oh-fiss-ih-NAH-liss Flower name (common): Common Asparagus Family name (common): Asparagus Family name (scientific): Asparagaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Originally from the Greek asparagos (aspharagos), which is of uncertain origin. Specific epithet: Latin for of the shops, that is, sold in shops, or official. Common name origin: Cultivated for its edible shoots, asparagus comes from the Medieval Latin sparagus, and this derives from the Greek asparagos/aspharagos, which is of uncertain origin. Flower description: Size: 0.1 to 0.3 inches (3 to 8 mm) Petal count: 6 Color: white Other: flower arrangement, Solitary Plant description: Size: 24 to 84 inches (61 to 213 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple. Leaves sessile and entire. Size: Leaves are scale-like and 3 to 4 mm in length. What appear to be needle-like leaves are actually stemlets (cladophylls). Color: Hairy: glabrous. Other: Shape: leaf, scalelike, lanceolate (FNA), deltate (IL). Shape: leaf, scalelike, lanceolate (FNA), deltate (IL). What appear to be needle-like leaves are cladophylls (stemlets). Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Introduced Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon Bloom time (typical): May to June Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Woods, fields, prairies, meadows, thickets, disturbed sites, roadsides, sun or part shade. Fruit: Berries globose, about 8 to 10 mm in diameter, and red-colored at maturity. Seed: About 3 to 5 mm in length, black, shiny surface. Importance to wildlife: Click for pollinator information on this flower. Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes. Ethnobotany: No recorded uses by tribes from Wisconsin. The Cherokee employed this plant as a dietary aid, and the Iroquois used the plant as an antirheumatic and blood medicine. The Cherokee and Iroquois both utilized the plant as a food source (Moerman, p. 110, 1998). Latitude: 44.797358 Longitude: -91.482237 Altitude: 282.00 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym: na Heterotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 37 heterotypic synonyms for this species. Autonym: na Wetland Status (NC): FACU Wetland Status (MW): FACU