Asparagaceae

Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis L.

Family: Asparagaceae
Genus: Asparagus

Pets and kids

CatsNot sure
DogsNot sure
KidsMildly toxic

Why

Cats: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Dogs: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Kids: Mildly toxic

Mildly toxic to young children. Toxic principle: saponins.

Signs: dermatitis, skin irritation, vomiting, abdominal pain.

Asparagus officinalis (Asparagus, Garden Asparagus) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Asparagus: Asparagus plants The probably best known member of the family of Asparagacea is the edible variety called Asparagus officinalis, commonly referred to as asparag — Photo: Evelyn Simak, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Is Asparagus safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Asparagus safe for cats?

We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Is Asparagus safe for dogs?

We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Is Asparagus safe for kids?

No. Our sources call Asparagus mildly toxic to young children. Toxic principle: saponins. Signs: dermatitis, skin irritation, vomiting, abdominal pain.

Asparagus officinalis (Asparagus, Garden Asparagus) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Similar names and close relatives

A shared name doesn't mean a shared answer: check the exact plant.

Common asparagus fern Asparagus setaceussame genusCats: Mildly toxic; Dogs: Mildly toxic; Kids: Mildly toxic
Cwebe asparagus fern Asparagus densiflorussame genusCats: Mildly toxic; Dogs: Mildly toxic; Kids: Mildly toxic

Common names

By language (119)

Afrikaans: Aspersie
Albanian: Shpargulli mjekësor
Arabic: هليون, أسبرجس, اسبرجس, الإسبراجوس, الهليون, كشك الماز
Armenian: Ծնեբեկ
arz: اسبراجوس
Azerbaijani: Dərman qulançarı
ba: Себен үләне
Bangla: শতমূলী, Garden asparagus, Purple asparagus, Sparrow grass, Sparrowgrass, White asparagus, Wild Asparagus
Basque: Zainzuri
Belarusian: Спаржа, Спаржа лекавая, Аспарагус
bjn: Asparagus
bo: འདམ་མྱུག
Bosnian: Šparoga
Breton: Asperjez
Bulgarian: Обикновена аспержа
Burmese: ကညွတ်ပင်
Cantonese: 露筍, 蘆筍
Catalan: Espàrrec
Central Kurdish: مارچێوە
Chinese: 芦笋, 蘆筍, 小百部, 石刁柏, 石刁柏子, 石刁柏（芦笋）, 露笋
Croatian: Šparoga, Šparoge
csb: Lékarskô szparaga
cv: Эмелле спаржа
Czech: Chřest lékařský
Danish: Almindelig Asparges
dsb: Gromak
Dutch: Asperge, Liggende asperge
English: Asparagus, Garden asparagus, Wild asparagus, Sparrow grass
Esperanto: Asparago
Estonian: Harilik aspar, Spargel
Faroese: Aspargus
Filipino: Esparago, Asparago, Esparagus, Isparago
Finnish: Parsa, Ruokaparsa
French: Asperge
frr: Spargel
fur: Sparc
Galician: Esparragueira
Georgian: Ბაღის სატაცური
German: Gemüsespargel, Gemüse-Spargel, Gemeiner Spargel, Gewöhnlicher Spargel
Greek: Σπαράγγι, Ασπάραγος
gsw: Gemüsespargel
gv: Asparag
Hebrew: אספרג רפואי, אספרג
Hindi: शतावर, शतावरी
hsb: Prawy hromak
Hungarian: Közönséges spárga
hyw: Ծնեբեկ
Icelandic: Spergill
Igbo: Asparagus
Indonesian: Asparagus
io: Asparago
Irish: Lus súgach, Lus súch
Italian: Asparagio, Asparago
Japanese: アスパラガス, オランダウド, オランダキジカクシ, セイヨウウド, マツバウド, 石刁柏, アスパラ, グリーンアスパラガス
Javanese: Asparagus
kab: Iskimen
Kannada: ಶತಾವರಿ
Kazakh: Қояншөп
Kinyarwanda: Asiperije
Korean: 아스파라거스
Kurdish: Kilig
kw: Merles
Lao: ໜໍ່ຝະລັ່ງ
Latvian: Sparģeļi, Sparģelis, Ārstniecības asparāgs
lfn: Asparago
li: Asperge, Sperves
Lithuanian: Vaistinis smidras, Šparagai, Šparagas
Luxembourgish: Spargel
Macedonian: Аспара́гус, Шпа́ргла
Malagasy: Asparaga
Malay: Asparagus
Malayalam: ശതാവരി, ശതാവരിച്ചെടി, ശതാവരി, പൂന്തോട്ട ശതാവരി, കുരുവി പുല്ല്
Manipuri: ꯅꯨꯡꯒꯥꯔꯩ
Marathi: अस्पॅरॅगस, अस्पॅरॅगस ऑफिसिनालिस, अस्पॉरगस
mdf: Аспарагус, Aspáragus
myv: Ведунтикше
nap: Spalece, Sparece
Nepali: कुरिलो
Norwegian Bokmål: Asparges
Norwegian Nynorsk: Asparges
nv: Chʼałdą́ą́ʼ / Jádí nátʼoh
Occitan: Espàrgol
Odia: ସତମୂଳୀ
os: Хосгæнæн спаржæ
pcd: Aspérjhe, Bite éd cat
Persian: مارچوبه
Polish: Szparag lekarski
Portuguese: Aspargo, Espargo
Punjabi: ਸ਼ਤਾਵਰ, ਐਸਪਰੇਗਸ, ਨਾਗਦੌਨ
Quechua: Isparaw
roa: Asparaghe
Romanian: Sparanghel
Russian: Спаржа лекарственная, Спаржа, Спаржа аптечная, Спаржа каспийская, Спаржа многоиглая, Спаржа многолистная, Спаржа обыкновенная
scn: Sparaceddu, Sparaci, Sparaciu, Sparacu, Sparagu, Sparici, Spàraci, Spàraciu
sco: Asparagus
Scottish Gaelic: Creamh-na-muice-fiadhaich
sdc: Ipàramu
Serbian: Шпаргла, Вилина метла
Serbian (Latin): Špargla, Kalenac, Vilina metla
Sindhi: اسپريگس
Slovak: Asparágus lekársky, Špargľa
Slovenian: Navadni beluš, Beluš, Špargelj
Swedish: Sparris
Tamil: சாத்தாவாரியினம், அஸ்பாரகஸ்
Telugu: ఆస్పరాగస్
Thai: หน่อไม้ฝรั่ง
Turkish: Kuşkonmaz
Ukrainian: Аспарагус садовий, Аспараґус, Спаржа, Холодок лікарський
Urdu: ہلیون, اسپراگس, اسپراگیس, مارچوبہ
Uyghur: قۇشقونماس
vec: Spàraxo
Vietnamese: Măng tây
vo: Sparag
Walloon: Aspedje, Såvaedje aspedje
Western Frisian: Asperzje
Wolof: Yar u golo
wuu: 芦笋
Yiddish: ספארזשע
zza: Melecu

Synonyms

Asparagus altilis Asch.
Asparagus altilis subsp. oxycarpus (Steven) K.Richt.
Asparagus altilis subsp. polyphyllus (Steven ex Ledeb.) K.Richt.
Asparagus caspius Hort.Vind. ex Schult.f.
Asparagus caspius Hohen.
Asparagus collinus Schur
Asparagus esculentus Salisb.
Asparagus fiorii Sennen
Asparagus hedecarpus Andrz. ex Baker
Asparagus hortensis Mill. ex Baker
Asparagus littoralis Steven
Asparagus officinalis subsp. officinalis
Asparagus officinalis subsp. polyphyllus (Steven) Tzvelev
Asparagus officinalis var. altilis L.
Asparagus officinalis var. campestris Gren. & Godr.
Asparagus officinalis var. collinus Nyman
Asparagus officinalis var. oxycarpus (Steven) Nyman
Asparagus officinalis var. strictus Boiss.
Asparagus oxycarpus Steven
Asparagus paragus Gueldenst. ex Ledeb.
Asparagus polyphyllus Steven ex Ledeb.
Asparagus polyphyllus Steven
Asparagus sativus Mill.
Asparagus scaber var. littoralis (Steven) Nyman
Asparagus setiformis Krylov
Asparagus setiformis var. tenuior Krylov
Asparagus setiformis var. typicus Krylov
Asparagus tenuifolius Gilib.
Asparagus trichophyllus var. medius Bong. & C.A.Mey.
Asparagus vulgaris Gueldenst. ex Ledeb.

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced

Photos

Photo: Evelyn Simak, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Giovanni Cutello, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Lozano Gómez Pedro, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Cécile Oms, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Aiden Dobson, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Juan Pablo Giraldo Marín, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Asparagus

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.