Q: I just purchased an asparagus fern and the roots have big bumps on them. Are these root galls or nematodes? Is this bad?

A: The swollen parts are normal – just root nodules where water is stored. If you keep the plant in a plastic pot for very long the strong root growth will crack the plastic. Divide the plant when it begins to look crowded.

Although asparagus fern is kin to the plant that produces edible asparagus, parts of this houseplant are poisonous. In the coastal parts of Florida, Texas and California it is an invasive perennial outdoors.