15 Types of Asparagus. There are many different varieties, all with various colors, tastes, textures, and hardiness. There are four basic types, which are green, white, purple, and wild.
What is the best type of asparagus to eat?
Thicker stalks are usually higher in fiber, according to Peter Ferretti, professor of vegetable crops at Pennsylvania State University. But whether thick or thin, asparagus stalks of all sizes are nutritious and delicious. Asparagus is high in folic acid and is a good source of potassium, vitamins B6, A, and C.
What flavors of asparagus are there?
Flavor. Green asparagus is a bit grassy in flavor, while white asparagus is mild and slightly bitter. Purple asparagus is a bit nuttier and sweeter because it has about 20 percent more sugar in its stalks. While the stalks are purple on the outside, the interior of the asparagus is the same as a green spear.
What is the most common asparagus?
‘Mary Washington’: Part of the Washington Series of asparagus alongside the ‘Martha Washington’ cultivar, ‘Mary Washington’ is the most popular green asparagus among North American growers. They grow long, uniformly thick green spears when planted in full or partial sun. 5.
How many colors of asparagus are there?
three different colors
Asparagus plants come in three different colors: green, white, and purple. The purple variety was first developed in Italy and is not particularly common in the United States. You can occasionally find it at specialty grocery stores and farmers’ markets during the spring.
What is the sweetest asparagus?
Sweet Purple Asparagus is a newer deep purple cultivar that has a sweet flavor and can easily be eaten raw or cooked. The spears are less fibrous than others, which allows for more enjoyment and less waste! Latin Name: Asparagus officinalis.
Is thick or thin asparagus better?
— Thinness may be a top quality for supermodels, but a vegetable expert in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences says when it comes to asparagus, thicker is better.
Can you eat asparagus raw?
The bottom line. Asparagus is a highly nutritious vegetable that can be eaten cooked or raw. Because of its tough texture, cooking is the most popular preparation method. However, thinly sliced or marinated raw spears can be equally enjoyable.
Where is the best asparagus from?
Hampshire County, home to New England’s most productive farmland, has been called the “Asparagus Capital of the World” for its prolific abundance of the crop.
Are all types of asparagus edible?
Garden asparagus produces edible shoots, or spears, that are tasty and nutritious, but there are some parts of the plant that aren’t edible. Asparagus fruit, or berries, are the primary part of the plant that is toxic. The toxic principle is unknown.
What color asparagus is the healthiest?
Is Purple Asparagus Better for You? One thing that might be different is the health benefits. Dark colored fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals that may help the battle against cancer. While green asparagus is good for you, the purple might have a few advantages for our nutrition.
Is it OK to eat purple asparagus?
Snappy purple asparagus can be eaten raw and is a colorful addition to almost any salad. They play well will most other vegetables, aromatics, herbs and even fruits like blueberries.
What are purple asparagus called?
Purple asparagus comes in three main varieties: Pacific Blue, Purple Passion and Erasmus. The Pacific Purple variety, originally from New Zealand, is high yielding, sweeter and much more tender than the green asparagus varieties.
Why is my asparagus coming up purple?
Purple spot is an asparagus disease that can infect between 60 and 90 percent of the new spears when conditions are right. Most prominent in cool weather, it typically subsides when conditions become dry. The disease manifests as small, superficial, reddish-purple lesions on the lower half of new spears.
Is asparagus easy to grow?
Asparagus is easy to grow, producing tasty new shoots from mid-spring to early summer – a seasonal treat to be savoured. These large perennial plants need to be grown in the ground, rather than in containers, where they will crop annually for many years.
What type of veggie is asparagus?
Asparagus, or garden asparagus, folk name sparrow grass, scientific name Asparagus officinalis, is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus Asparagus. Its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. It was once classified in the lily family, like the related Allium species, onions and garlic.
Do you wash asparagus before roasting?
Roasted Asparagus requires very little effort. Seriously…it pretty much cooks itself. But you do have to get it on the pan, so the first thing you’ll want to do is to to wash your asparagus and pat it dry. Then you need to remove the bottom, tougher parts of the stalks before cooking.
Why are my asparagus spears so big?
Each new asparagus spear grows from a bud that forms on the crown. There are never two spears that grow from the same bud, so as the asparagus plant ages (and as long as the underground crown is not damaged from harvesting, insects or diseases), the crown grows larger and larger as more buds are created.
Does asparagus clean your liver?
Asparagus. Thanks to their diuretic function, they help the cleansing process by activating the functions of the liver and kidneys that eliminate the toxins.
Is asparagus hard on your kidneys?
Asparagus can act as a natural diuretic, according to a 2010 study published in the West Indian Medical Journal. This can help rid the body of excess salt and fluid, making it especially good for people suffering from edema and high blood pressure. It also helps flush out toxins in kidneys and prevent kidney stones.
Does asparagus thicken your blood?
Your blood might thicken.
Asparagus is a phenomenal source of vitamin K—in fact, just half a cup of asparagus contains 45.5 micrograms—a whopping 57% of the RDI. That nutrient is essential for normal blood coagulation, meaning it comes in handy when you get a cut.