Esparragón (Asparagus arborescens)

Erect shrub, very woody and highly branched, up to 2 m. Cladodes (false leaves), long, fleshy, thread-like, up to 12 cm long. Flowers are small, whitish, borne singly or in clusters, and the fruits are fleshy, round, initially green but turning orangey. Native to the Canary Islands, this species is characteristic of lowland Euphorbia communities on the coast and up to 800-1,000 m altitude, although it is ideally suited to below 400 m. It frequently appears near the cactus-like cardones (Euphorbia canariensis), where it finds protection. Distribution encompasses all the Canary Islands, though it is most commonly found in the central islands and particularly in Tenerife.