Asparagus albus
| Asparagus albus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Asparagus albus
Propagation: Seed - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring or as soon as the seed is ripe in early autumn in a greenhouse. It usually germinates in 3 - 6 weeks at 25°c[1]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer[K].
Division in early spring as the plant comes into growth.
Cultivation: Easily grown in any good garden soil[2]. Prefers a rich sandy loam[3].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[2].
The edible young shoots of this plant are sold in local markets in the Mediterranean area[4][5].
Unlike most members of this genus, this species has hermaphrodite flowers
Range: Europe - W. and C. Mediterranean. N. Africa.
Habitat: High plateaux in hedges and scrub[4][6].
Edibility: Young shoots - cooked[4][5][7]. A poor substitute for the cultivated asparagus[8].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan, 1988.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.