Seed & Nursery Catalogs
Varieties of Asparagus
How to Grow Asparagus
luv2garden.com - Abigal Gordon's Gardens ®
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Varieties of Asparagus
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Recommended Varieties of Asparagus for Home Growers
Asparagus plants are either male or female. The female plants bear seeds, and sprout new seedlings which takes considerable energy from the plant and causes overcrowding in the bed. Male plants obviously do not. They put no energy into seeds and produce larger spears because of this. Male plants do not produce volunteer seedlings, which compete against the established plants and contribute to reduced yields. All-male hybrids are also more disease resistant than older varieties.
The following are my personal favorites, you of course may prefer to scan any of the many online nurseries and seed catalogs.
All Male Varieties |
Mixed Varieties
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Mary Washington - Tightly budded stalks hold at peak quality and flavor over an extra-long cutting period. Rich emerald-green spears are extremely uniform in size, with delicate taste steamed or blanched. | |
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Purple Passion Larger, sweeter and tastier spears than the more common green types. Produces for years. Stalks turn green when cooked. |
White Asparagus: Used primarily in Europe, White asparagus is produced by the deprivation of light. Dirt is kept mounded around the emerging stalk. The plant won't produce adequate chlorophyll without sun light, therefore no green color goes to the stalks.
Purple Asparagus: Found in the British Isles and Italy Purple Asparagus has a very thick stalk. It has a higher sugar content than other varieties and is naturally sweeter. It also contains higher levels of Anthocyanins a Cancer fighting compound.
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