- Botanical name: Asparagus officinalis
- Common name: Asparagus
- Family: Asparagaceae
- Plant Type: Vegetable, Evergreen
White
Green
- Key features:
- Prefers rich soil
Asparagus officinalis
Asparagus officinalis is a rare delicacy, yielding delicious and uniquely flavoured spears for a short time each spring. It’s surprisingly easy to grow, thriving in well-drained soil in full sun.
Asparagus plants have pretty ferny foliage, and as such are equally at home in the herbaceous border as they are in the vegetable patch. Plants can be raised from seed but it’s best to avoid harvesting the spears until plants are three years old, to help them become established. One-year old crowns can be bought for planting and will start cropping well within two years.
For best results grow Asparagus officinalis in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Prepare the soil well, removing weeds and incorporating plenty of organic matter such as well-rotted compost or manure. Water well until plants have become established, and mulch annually with organic matter.
How to grow Asparagus officinalis
-
Plant size
1.5m height
90cm spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy / clay / heavy / moist / chalky / alkaline / acidic
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do Plant in March |
A
Do Plant in April |
M
Do not Plant in May |
J
Do not Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do Plant in September |
O
Do Plant in October |
N
Do Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Divide | ||||||||||||
| Divide |
J
Do not Divide in January |
F
Do not Divide in February |
M
Do Divide in March |
A
Do Divide in April |
M
Do not Divide in May |
J
Do not Divide in June |
J
Do not Divide in July |
A
Do not Divide in August |
S
Do not Divide in September |
O
Do not Divide in October |
N
Do not Divide in November |
D
Do not Divide in December |
| Harvest | ||||||||||||
| Harvest |
J
Do not Harvest in January |
F
Do not Harvest in February |
M
Do not Harvest in March |
A
Do not Harvest in April |
M
Do Harvest in May |
J
Do Harvest in June |
J
Do not Harvest in July |
A
Do not Harvest in August |
S
Do not Harvest in September |
O
Do not Harvest in October |
N
Do not Harvest in November |
D
Do not Harvest in December |
Asparagus officinalis and wildlife
Asparagus officinalis has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Asparagus officinalis poisonous?
Asparagus officinalis can be toxic. Its foliage are toxic.
Toxic to Cats
Toxic to Dogs
Toxic to Horses
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
