Asparagus
Asparagus is a stem vegetable.
Names
Scientific
Asparagus officinalis
English
Asparagus (Crop)
Garden asparagus
Green asparagus
Sparrow grass
White asparagus
Dutch
Asperge
Groene asperge
Witte asperge
Spanish
Espárrago
Espárrago blanco
Espárrago verde
French
Asperge
Asperge blanche
Asperge verte
German
Gemeiner Spargel
Gemüsespargel
Italian
Asparago
Taxonomy
Order
Asparagales
Family
Asparagaceae
Genus
Asparagus
Species
Asparagus officinalis (Asparagus (Crop))
Basic information and facts
Origin:
Asparagus is native to Europe and western temperate Asia.
Distribution:
Highest production of asparagus is in China, Peru and Mexico. Other important producers are Germany, Thailand, Spain, USA, Japan, Italy, France and The Netherlands.
Annual, biennial, or perennial:
Asparagus is a flowering perennial plant.
Leaves:
The plants have strong main stems with branched, feathery foliage. What looks like leaves are actually needle-like modified stems.
Climate and weather:
Grows in temperate climate.
Height:
Plants are 100 to 150 cm tall.
Spacing:
Usually planted in rows with 45 to cm between plants and 150 cm between rows.
Propagation:
Asparagus can be grown from seed or by dividing and planting the crowns.
Harvesting:
Shoots have to be harvested when young, before the buds start to open, otherwise the shoots soon turn woody.
Uses:
The young asparagus shoots are usually cooked and eaten as a vegetable. In Asian-style cooking, asparagus is often stir-fried. Asparagus is sometimes used as a medicinal plant because of its diuretic properties.
Did you know that?
Asparagus can be green or white. Growing white asparagus involves using a blanching technique while the shoots are growing. The shoots are covered with soil as they grow so that they are not exposed to sunlight. As the photosynthesis cannot start, the shoots will remain white.
Crop categories
Arid crops
Cool temperate crops
Mediterranean crops
Minor crops
Stem vegetables
Temperate crops
Vegetables
Pictures
Asparagus field
