How to propagate lace fern
Asparagus setaceus
A practical guide to making more lace fern at home: the right method, the right time of year, and what to expect.
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How to propagate by division
Lace fern grows from a crown with thick storage roots that fill a pot quickly. Division is the simplest way to get new plants, and the RHS gives early spring as the time to do it.
- 01
Divide in early spring, before strong new growth starts, or when the roots have filled the pot.
- 02
Put on gloves. The stems carry sharp spines, and the sap can irritate skin.
- 03
Water the day before, then ease the plant out of its pot. If the roots grip the pot, run a knife around the inside edge.
- 04
Cut the root mass into two or three pieces with a clean, sharp knife. Each piece needs several stems and a share of the storage roots.
- 05
Pot each piece at its old depth in fresh potting mix, in a pot only slightly larger than its roots. Water thoroughly and let it drain.
- 06
Keep the divisions in bright, indirect light and out of direct sun while they settle.
- 07
New shoots from the crown show that a division has settled. Each piece keeps its own roots, so there is no rooting stage.
Seed
Lace fern can also be grown from seed. Its berries ripen from green to purple-black, and they are poisonous to people and pets.
- 01
Wearing gloves, pick ripe, dark berries and remove the seeds. Keep the berries away from children and pets.
- 02
Sow the seed in autumn or early spring in a pot of damp seed mix.
- 03
Keep the pot at about 16 °C (61 °F) in bright light, out of direct sun.
- 04
Move the seedlings into their own pots of potting mix once they are large enough to handle.
- 05
Keep berries out of the garden in mild climates. Birds spread the seed, and lace fern has escaped cultivation in Florida, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand.
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Common questions
What is the best way to propagate lace fern?
Divide it in early spring. Cut the root mass into pieces that each keep stems and storage roots, and pot them at their old depth. Seed also works.
Can lace fern be grown from cuttings?
The RHS and NC State Extension list division and seed for Asparagus setaceus, not stem cuttings. Divide the plant or sow seed instead.
Are lace fern berries poisonous?
Yes. NC State Extension lists the berries as poisonous to people and pets, causing abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea if eaten. Wear gloves when you handle the plant.
Sources: the RHS Asparagus setaceus profile supports division in early spring, seed in autumn or early spring at 16 °C (61 °F), and gloves for a skin allergen with harmful fruits. NC State Extension supports division and seed, tuberous roots that fill the pot, sharp spines, poisonous berries, irritating sap and escape in Australia, New Zealand, Cuba and Hawaii. The UF/IFAS plant directory supports bird-spread berries, storage roots and escape in Florida.
7 steps · No rooting stage. Watch for new shoots · Last reviewed: