Asparagus racemosus

Asparagus racemosus subsp. var.	Satavar, Shatavari, or Shatamull
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	Asparagaceae > Asparagus racemosus var. , Willd.

Asparagus racemosus (Satavar, Shatavari, or Shatamull) is a creeper, 1 to 2 meters tall, that is common throughout India and the Himalayas. It prefers to take root in gravelly, rocky soils, high up in piedmont plains (1,300 - 1,400 meters elev.).

Satavar has odd little pine-needle-like leaves that are uniform, and shiny green. In July it has minute, white flowers on short, spiky stems, and in September it fruits blackish-purple, globular berries.

It has an adventitious root system with tuberous roots that measure about 1 meter in length, tapering at both ends, and may, for each plant number roughly a hundred.

Cultivation

Perennial growing to 7m.^pf

It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil.^wp

Easily grown in any good garden soil[200]. Prefers a rich sandy loam[1]. This species is not very frost-hardy and generally needs to be grown in a frost-free or fairly frost-free climate[200, 238]. It can be grown as a half-hardy perennial in areas where the winter is too cold for it to survive outdoors. The tubers are harvested in the autumn, stored in a cool frost-free place and replanted in the spring[238]. The rots of this species are commonly collected from the wild for medicinal use. Overcollection in some areas of its range are causing conservation concerns[272]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.^pf

Propagation

Seed - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring or as soon as the seed is ripe in early autumn in a greenhouse. It usually germinates in 3 - 6 weeks at 25°c[134]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer[K]. Division in early spring as the plant comes into growth.

Gallery

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References

• Plants for a Future - creative commons text incorporated

External links

• w:Asparagus racemosus. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Asparagus racemosus QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)