Asparagus aethiopicus

Asparagus aethiopicus, commonly known in Afrikaans as the haakdoring (hook thorn), is usually a robust woody and spiny climber reaching heights around 3 m.

The branched stems bear hooked spines, narrow, flat false-leaves and creamy white, star-shaped flowers. The red, berry-like fruits seen in picture may contain more than one seed.

The species distribution ranges from the west of the Northern Cape to a widespread presence coastally and inland in the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, a little in the eastern Free State. This South African endemic is absent from the centre and northeast of the country.

The habitat is bushy scrub but also grassland, fynbos, Nama Karoo, succulent Karoo and Albany thicket. The species is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century.

This is one of the most significant garden escapees in Australia, invading big parts of the coastline (Manning, 2007; iNaturalist, http://redlist.sanbi.org).