Seeds of Shatavari, Indian asparagus (Asparagus racemosus)
Shatavari from seed
Shatavari is a wild asparagus of the Indian forests, a scrambling climber with fine, needle-like foliage, tiny white scented flowers and blackish-purple berries. Below ground it builds a cluster of dozens of tuberous roots, the part valued in Ayurvedic tradition. As a pot plant it looks like a large, airy asparagus fern.
Habit
climber, stems to about 4 m
Pretreatment
soak 12 hours in warm water
Germination
8 days to 6 weeks, mostly 3-6 weeks at 25 °C
Sowing depth
0.5-1 cm
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How to sow
- Soak the seeds for 12 hours in warm water, then sow them 0.5-1 cm deep in a free-draining mix.
- At about 25 °C most seedlings appear in three to six weeks, though some come up within eight days and others take longer.
- Keep the pot just moist, not wet.
- Give each seedling its own deep pot once it has a few stems.
Growing in Europe
In most of Europe shatavari is a houseplant or conservatory plant that can spend summer outdoors. Give it sun or light shade, a deep pot with good drainage and a stake or trellis about 45 cm tall to start. It is slow: plants in the ground take 12-30 months to build a full root system.
Questions
How long do shatavari seeds take to germinate?
Mostly three to six weeks at about 25 °C after a 12-hour soak; some sprout in eight days.
Can shatavari be grown indoors?
Yes. It grows well in a deep pot in a bright room and can go outside in summer.
Is shatavari related to garden asparagus?
Yes, both belong to the genus Asparagus, but shatavari is a frost-tender climber.