# Asparagus

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"Wild asparagus" redirects here. For the band, see [Wild Asparagus](/source/Wild_Asparagus). For other uses, see [Asparagus (disambiguation)](/source/Asparagus_(disambiguation)).

**Asparagus** (***Asparagus officinalis***) or **garden asparagus** is a [perennial](/source/Perennial) [flowering plant](/source/Flowering_plant) species in the genus *[Asparagus](/source/Asparagus_(genus))* native to Eurasia. Widely cultivated as a vegetable crop, its young shoots are used as a spring [vegetable](/source/Vegetable).

## Description

Asparagus is an [herbaceous](/source/Herbaceous), [perennial plant](/source/Perennial_plant)[1] growing typically to 100–150 cm ft tall, with stout stems with much-branched, feathery foliage. It has been known to grow as long as 3.5 metres (11 ft).[2] The 'leaves' are needle-like [cladodes](/source/Cladode) ([modified stems](/source/Aerial_stem_modification)) in the [axils](/source/Leaf#Morphology) of scale leaves; they are 6–32 millimetres (0.24–1.26 inches) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) broad, and clustered in fours, up to 15, together, in a rose-like shape.[3] The root system, often referred to as a 'crown', is [adventitious](/source/Adventitious); the root type is [fasciculated](/source/Fascicle_(botany)).

The [flowers](/source/Flower) are bell-shaped, greenish-white to yellowish, 4.5–6.5 mm (0.18–0.26 in) long, with six [tepals](/source/Tepal) partially fused together at the base; they are produced singly or in clusters of two or three in the junctions of the branchlets. It is usually [dioecious](/source/Dioecious), with male and female flowers on separate plants, but sometimes [hermaphrodite](/source/Hermaphrodite) flowers are found. The [fruit](/source/Fruit) is a small red [berry](/source/Berry_(botany)) 6-10 mm in in diameter, which is [toxic](/source/Toxin) to humans.[4]

Asparagus grown natively to the western coasts of [Europe](/source/Europe) (from northern [Spain](/source/Spain) to northwest [Germany](/source/Germany), north [Ireland](/source/Ireland), and [Great Britain](/source/Great_Britain)) are treated as *A. officinalis* subsp. *prostratus* (Dumort.) Corb., distinguished by its low-growing, often prostrate stems growing to only 30–70 cm (12–28 in) high, and shorter cladodes 2–18 mm (0.079–0.709 in) long.[5][6] Some authors treat it as a distinct species, *A. prostratus* Dumort.[7][8]

## Etymology

The English word *asparagus* derives from classical [Latin](/source/Latin_language) but the plant was once known in English as *sperage*, from the [Medieval Latin](/source/Medieval_Latin) *sparagus*.[Note 1] This term itself derives from the Ancient Greek: ἀσπάραγος - *aspáragos*, a variant of Ancient Greek: ἀσφάραγος - *aspháragos*. The Greek terms are of uncertain provenance; the former form admits the possibility of a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to jerk, scatter," directly or via a [Persian](/source/Persian_language) descendant meaning "twig, branch"; but the Ancient Greek word itself, meaning "gully, chasm," seems to be of [Pre-Greek](/source/Pre-Greek) origin instead.[citation needed]

Asparagus was [corrupted](/source/Folk_etymology) by folk etymology in some places to "sparrow grass";[9] indeed, [John Walker](/source/John_Walker_(naturalist)) wrote in 1791 that "*Sparrowgrass* is so general that *asparagus* has an air of stiffness and pedantry".[10] The name 'sparrow grass' was still in common use in rural East Anglia, England well into the twentieth century.[11]

## Taxonomy

Asparagus was once classified in the [lily](/source/Lily) family, as were the related *[Allium](/source/Allium)* species [onions](/source/Onion) and [garlic](/source/Garlic). Genetic research currently places lilies, *Allium*, and asparagus in three separate families: the [Liliaceae](/source/Liliaceae), [Amaryllidaceae](/source/Amaryllidaceae), and [Asparagaceae](/source/Asparagaceae), respectively. The latter two are part of the order [Asparagales](/source/Asparagales).[citation needed]

Asparagus populations grown natively to the western coasts of [Europe](/source/Europe) are treated as the [subspecies](/source/Subspecies) group of *prostratus* (Dumort.) Corb..[5]

## Distribution and habitat

Sources differ as to the plant's native range, but generally include most of Europe and western [temperate Asia](/source/Temperate_Asia).[12][5][13][14]

## Cultivation

See also: [List of asparagus diseases](/source/List_of_asparagus_diseases)

Since asparagus often originates in maritime habitats, it thrives in soils that are too saline for normal weeds to grow. Thus, a little salt was traditionally used to suppress weeds in beds intended for asparagus; this has the disadvantage that the soil cannot be used for anything else. Some regions and [gardening zones](/source/Hardiness_zone) are better-suited for growing asparagus than others, such as the west coast of North America and other more maritime, "[Mediterranean](/source/Mediterranean_climate)" environments. The fertility of the soil is a large factor. "Crowns" are planted in winter, and the first shoots appear in spring; the first pickings or "thinnings" are known as sprue asparagus. Sprue has thin stems.[15]

A breed of "early-season asparagus" that can be harvested two months earlier than usual was announced by a UK grower in early 2011.[16] This variety does not need to lie dormant and blooms at 7 °C (45 °F), rather than the usual 9 °C (48 °F).

Purple asparagus differs from its green and white counterparts in having high sugar and low fibre levels. Purple asparagus was originally developed in Italy, near the city of [Albenga](/source/Albenga) and commercialized under the variety name 'Violetto d' Albenga'.[17] Purple asparagus can also turn green while being cooked due to its sensitivity to heat.[18]

### Companion planting

Asparagus is said to be a useful [companion plant](/source/Companion_plant) for [tomatoes](/source/Tomato), as the tomato plant repels the [asparagus beetle](/source/Asparagus_beetle). Asparagus may repel some harmful root nematodes that affect tomato plants.[19]

## Production

In 2023, world production of asparagus was 8.6 million [tonnes](/source/Tonne), with China accounting for 87% of the total (table).

Asparagus production 2023, millions of tonnes 7.44 0.36 0.35 0.11 World 8.59 Source: FAOSTAT of the United Nations[20]

## Uses

The genome of the species has been sequenced as a model to study the evolution of sex chromosomes in plants and [dioecy](/source/Dioecy).[21]

### Nutrition

Raw asparagus is 93% water, 4% [carbohydrates](/source/Carbohydrate), 2% [protein](/source/Protein_(nutrient)), and contains negligible [fat](/source/Fat) (table). In a reference amount of 100 g (3.5 oz), raw asparagus supplies 20 [calories](/source/Calorie), and is a rich source (20% or more of the [Daily Value](/source/Daily_Value)) of [copper](/source/Copper_in_biology) and [vitamin K](/source/Vitamin_K) (35% DV), and a moderate source (11–13% DV) of [iron](/source/Iron_in_biology), and the [B vitamins](/source/B_vitamins), [thiamine](/source/Thiamine), [riboflavin](/source/Riboflavin), and [folate](/source/Folate), with no other [micronutrients](/source/Micronutrient) in significant content (table).

### Culinary

Only young asparagus shoots ("spears") are commonly eaten: once the buds start to open ("ferning out"), the shoots quickly turn woody.[22] The shape of edible spears can vary according to variety; typical shapes are long thin spears from 8mm to 24mm diameter, no longer than 22cm.[23] The roots contain starch.[24]

The shoots are prepared and served in a number of ways around the world, typically as an appetizer[25] or vegetable side dish. In Asian-style cooking, asparagus is often [stir-fried](/source/Stir-fried). [Cantonese](/source/Cantonese_cuisine) restaurants in the United States often serve asparagus stir-fried with [chicken](/source/Chicken), [shrimp](/source/Shrimp), or [beef](/source/Beef).[26] It may also be quickly grilled over charcoal or hardwood embers, and is also used as an ingredient in some stews and soups.

Asparagus can be [pickled](/source/Pickled) and stored for several years. Some brands label shoots prepared in this way as "marinated".

Stem thickness indicates age of the plant (and not age of the stalk), with the thicker stems coming from older plants. Older, thicker stalks can be woody, although peeling the skin at the base removes the tough layer. Peeled asparagus will poach much faster.[27] The bottom portion of asparagus often contains sand and soil, so thorough cleaning is generally advised before cooking.

Male plants tend to produce spears that are smaller and thinner, while female plants tend produce larger and thicker spears.[28] The thickness of stalks is not an indication of their tenderness; they are thick or thin from the moment they sprout from the ground.[28]

Green asparagus is eaten worldwide, and the availability of imports throughout the year has made it less of a delicacy than it once was.[6] In Europe, according to one source, the "asparagus season is a highlight of the [foodie](/source/Foodie) calendar"; in the UK this traditionally begins on 23 April and ends on [Midsummer](/source/Midsummer) Day.[29][30] In Europe the short growing season and high demand leads to a relatively high price for local produce, although asparagus is also imported.

Only seasonally on the menu, asparagus dishes are advertised outside many restaurants, usually from late April to June. For the French style, asparagus is often boiled or steamed and served with [Hollandaise sauce](/source/Hollandaise_sauce), [white sauce](/source/White_sauce), melted butter or most recently with olive oil and [Parmesan cheese](/source/Parmesan_cheese).[31] Tall, narrow asparagus cooking pots allow the shoots to be steamed gently, their tips staying out of the water.

In western Himalayan regions, such as Nepal and north-western India, [Ornithogalum pyrenaicum](/source/Ornithogalum_pyrenaicum), known as "wild asparagus," is harvested as a seasonal vegetable delicacy known as *kurilo* or *jhijhirkani*.[32]

#### White asparagus

White asparagus is produced by applying a [blanching](/source/Blanching_(horticulture)) technique while the asparagus shoots are growing:[33] the shoots are covered with soil as they grow, i.e. [earthed up](/source/Hilling); without exposure to sunlight, there is no [photosynthesis](/source/Photosynthesis) and the shoots remain white. The locally cultivated so-called "white gold" or "edible ivory" asparagus, also referred to as "the royal vegetable",[34] is believed to be less bitter and more tender than unblanched green. Freshness is valued, and the lower ends of white asparagus must be peeled.

During the German *Spargelsaison* or *Spargelzeit* ("asparagus season" or "asparagus time"), the asparagus season that traditionally finishes on 24 June, roadside stands and open-air markets sell about half of the country's white asparagus consumption.[35]

## In culture

Asparagus was used as a food in legend by Emperor [Augustus](/source/Augustus) who coined the expression "faster than cooking asparagus" for quick action.[Note 2][36][37] A recipe for cooking asparagus is given in one of the oldest surviving collections of recipes ([Apicius](/source/Apicius)'s 1st century AD *[De re coquinaria](/source/De_re_coquinaria)*, Book III). In the second century AD, the Greek physician [Galen](/source/Galen) mentioned asparagus as a beneficial herb, but as dominance of the Roman empire waned, so do mentions of asparagus.[38] Afterwards, it continued to be popular in the [Byzantine Empire](/source/Byzantine_Empire).[39]

Asparagus was brought to North America by European settlers at least as early as 1655. Adriaen van der Donck, a Dutch immigrant to New Netherland, mentions asparagus in his description of Dutch farming practices in the New World.[40] Asparagus was grown by British immigrants as well; in 1685, one of William Penn's advertisements for Pennsylvania included asparagus in a list of crops that grew well in the American climate.[41]

The *points d'amour* ("love tips") were served as a delicacy to [Madame de Pompadour](/source/Madame_de_Pompadour) (1721–1764).[42]

### Odor in urine

The effect of eating asparagus on urine excreted afterwards has long been observed:

[Asparagus] cause a powerful and disagreeable smell in the urine, as everybody knows.

- — *Treatise of All Sorts of Foods*, [Louis Lémery](/source/Louis_L%C3%A9mery), 1702[43]

asparagus... affects the urine with a [foetid](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/foetid) smell (especially if cut when they are white) and therefore have been suspected by some physicians as not friendly to the kidneys; when they are older, and begin to ramify, they lose this quality; but then they are not so agreeable.

- — "An Essay Concerning the Nature of Aliments", [John Arbuthnot](/source/John_Arbuthnot), 1735[44]

Asparagus "...transforms my chamber-pot into a flask of perfume."

- — [Marcel Proust](/source/Marcel_Proust) (1871–1922)[45]

Asparagus contains [asparagusic acid](/source/Asparagusic_acid); when the vegetable is digested, a group of volatile sulfur-containing compounds is produced.[46]

Certain compounds in asparagus are [metabolized](/source/Metabolism) to yield ammonia and various [sulfur](/source/Sulfur)-containing degradation products, including various [thiols](/source/Thiol) and [thioesters](/source/Thioester),[47] which following consumption give [urine](/source/Urine) a characteristic smell. Some of the [volatile organic compounds](/source/Volatile_organic_compound) responsible for the smell include [methanethiol](/source/Methanethiol), [dimethyl sulfide](/source/Dimethyl_sulfide), [dimethyl disulfide](/source/Dimethyl_disulfide), [bis(methylthio)methane](/source/Bis(methylthio)methane), [dimethyl sulfoxide](/source/Dimethyl_sulfoxide), and [dimethyl sulfone](/source/Dimethyl_sulfone).[48][49][50] The odor apparently was first investigated in 1891 by [Marceli Nencki](/source/Marceli_Nencki), who attributed the smell to methanethiol.[51]

These compounds originate in the asparagus as [asparagusic acid](/source/Asparagusic_acid) and its derivatives, as these are the only sulfur-containing compounds unique to asparagus. As these are more present in young asparagus, this accords with the observation that the smell is more pronounced after eating young asparagus. The biological mechanism for the production of these compounds is less clear.[52]

The onset of the asparagus urine smell is remarkably rapid while the decline is slower. The smell has been reported to be detectable 15 to 30 minutes after ingestion, subsiding with a [half-life](/source/Biological_half-life) of approximately four hours.[53]

The association between odorous urine and asparagus consumption was not observed until the late 17th century when sulfur-rich fertilisers became common in agriculture.[54] Small-scale studies noted that the "asparagus urine" odor was not produced by all individuals and estimates as to the proportion of the population who are excretors (reporting a noticeable asparagus urine odor after eating asparagus) has ranged from about 40%[55] to as high as 79%.[56][53] When excretors are exposed to urine of people who do not report odor in their urine after asparagus consumption, however, the characteristic asparagus urine odor is usually reported.[54] More recent work has found that a small proportion of individuals do not produce asparagus urine, and amongst those who do, some cannot detect the odor due to a [single-nucleotide polymorphism](/source/Single-nucleotide_polymorphism) within a cluster of [olfactory receptors](/source/Olfactory_receptor).[57]

### Celebrations

[Oceana County, Michigan](/source/Oceana_County,_Michigan), the self-proclaimed "asparagus capital of the world", hosts an annual festival.[58] The [Vale of Evesham](/source/Vale_of_Evesham) in [Worcestershire](/source/Worcestershire) (another "asparagus capital")[59] celebrates the annual British Asparagus Festival, with auctions of the best crop, an "Asparagus Run" modelled on the Beaujolais Run, and a weekend "Asparafest" music festival.[60]

Many German cities hold an annual *Spargelfest* (asparagus festival) celebrating the harvest of white asparagus; [Schwetzingen](/source/Schwetzingen) claims to be the "Asparagus Capital of the World".[61]

## Notes

1. Around 1000 AD the word "sparagus" appeared in an English text. See Brunning (June 2010), p. 6. – Brunning uses the term "in print", though no printing technique was used in England at the time. In the same sentence, she states that *peasants* often called it "sparrow grass", and further on mentions a 1667 diary in which Samuel Pepys bought a bundle of "sparrow grass" in Fenchurch Street, London.

1. Latin *velocius quam asparagi conquantur* (or *celerius quam asparagi cocuntur*), ascribed to Augustus by [Suetonius](/source/Suetonius) (*The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Book 2*(Augustus), para. 87). See [List of Latin phrases (V)](/source/List_of_Latin_phrases_(V)).

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## External links

- [Kew Species Profile: *Asparagus officinalis* (garden asparagus)](http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:531229-1)
- [PROTAbase on *Asparagus officinalis*](https://web.archive.org/web/20121211010030/http://database.prota.org/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=QBE_QUERY&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fdatabase.prota.org%2Fsearch.htm&TN=PROTAB~1&QB0=AND&QF0=Species+Code&QI0=Asparagus+officinalis&RF=Webdisplay)
- [*Asparagus officinalis*](http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Asparagus+officinalis) – Plants for a Future database entry
- ["World Asparagus Situation and Outlook"](http://www.fas.usda.gov/htp/Hort_Circular/2005/08-05/Asparagus%20article.pdf). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121018213610/http://www.fas.usda.gov/htp/Hort_Circular/2005/08-05/Asparagus%20article.pdf) 18 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine. (55.0 KB) – 2005 USDA report
- [Asparagus Production Management and Marketing](http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20020917233130/http://ohioline.osu.edu/b826/index.html) 17 September 2002 at the Wayback Machine – commercial growing (OSU bulletin)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Asparagus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.