Feral Asparagus?

[joz]

I believe that my backyard has seen gardens before.

Along my fenceline I've got several clumps of asparagus. It's thin and weedy and tough and ferny. I've never seen an edible-looking spear.

Am I just missing them before they bolt? Or is the patch so old it just doesn't do anymore? Or is it a variety that's inedible? Or am I mistaking it for something else altogether?

The area of yard I've found them in is not particularly sunny.

Thanks for any thoughts. I'm currently digging it out as I run across it, but if it's salvageable.......

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are a lot of things that can look like asparagus ferns. New Orleans is a great climate for a lot of greenery, but I don't think asparagus is one of them. I think it is too warm year round. Asparagus needs some cool weather to kill it back. I used to live in River Ridge there, so I am a bit familiar with the climate.

I suspect it is a fern of some kind and not edible asparagus. You can possibly take some to the Parish Extension Agency or maybe contact the gardening columnist in the Times Picayune to get a positive ID, but I'd bet against it being edible asparagus. I wonder of the people at Longvue Gardens would be able to ID it?