One of these is often grown to be pretty , the `` asparagus fern '' , Asparagus setaceus ( although it is not a real fern ) . The best known plant in this group is Asparagus officinalis , which is an important food plant . Asparagus officinalis is widely known simply as `` asparagus '' , and may be confused with unrelated plant species also known as `` asparagus '' , such as Ornithogalum pyrenaicum known as `` Prussian asparagus '' for its edible shoots .