A nutrient medium which enabled rapid formation of new spears and roots in shoot apices excised from buds as well as lateral branches of Asparagus officinalis L. spears was developed. This medium was composed of the following, in mg/1 : Murashige and Skoog’s inorganic salts; NAA, 0.3; kinetin, 0.1; thiamin·HC1, 1.0; pyridoxin·HCl, 5.0; nicotinic acid, 5.0; myo-inositol, 100; adenine sulfate·dihydrate, 40; sucrose, 25,000; Difco Bacto malt extract, 500; NaH2PO4·H2O, 170; and Difco Bacto agar, 6000. The shoot apices were cultured under 1000 lux Gro Lux or Plant Gro light and at constant 27°C. The explants were 0.15 mm in height and composed of the apical meristem plus a few visible subjacent primordial leaves. Within 6 weeks an avg of 80-90% of the cultures developed into miniature plants with several spears and roots. These plants, however, could not be transferred to soil with much success. The transfer necessitated further culture under another set of conditions, details of which are currently under investigation. The nutrient medium was inapplicable to shoot apex cultures of A. densiflora (Kunth) Jessop cv. Meyers, A. densiflora (Kunth) Jessop cv. Sprengeri, and, A. sarmentosus (Hort.).