ASPARAGUS Fact file Botanical name: Asparagus officinalis

Other names: Originally an Ancient Greek word, asparag, which means sprout or shoot. Sparrow grass French – asperges Arabic – naba’at alhaliun Japanese – asuparagasu Te reo Maori – apareka Vietnamese – măng tây Chinese mandarin – lúsŭn Sinhala – æsaparagasa Tamil – aspārakas Bosnian – špargla Related to: Asparagus used to be part of the lily family that includes onions and garlic but the Lilliaceae has been split into two families. The onion-like plants are part of the Amaryllidaceae and asparagus is in the Asparagaceae family.

Description: Asparagus is a perennial plant that is one of the first to appear in spring. The edible stems grow to about 20cm tall but the feathery leaves that grow over summer can be 1-2m tall. Males and females flower on separate plants. The female plant produces a small red berry which is poisonous to humans.

History: First grown as a crop by the Ancient Greeks in 1AD, it was thought to have healing properties by the Romans and early Greeks and used to help beestings and toothache. An Ancient Egyptian freize from 3000BC that shows asparagus. Queen Nefertiti called asparagus “food of gods”, French King Louis XIV called it “food of kings” and Caesar Augustus had troops gather the best asparagus from around his Roman empire. There is a recipe for cooking asparagus in the world’s oldest surviving recipe book that is more than 2000 years old.

How to cook: Asparagus doesn’t take long to cook. It can be boiled, steamed, roasted, barbequed, grilled, stir-fried or microwaved to eat alone or can be added to quiches, salads and even asparagus rolls (rolled in bread). It tastes best when lightly cooked to retain its vibrant green colour. The tips are said to be the greatest delicacy but the juicy stalks are delicious too. Where it grows: Asparagus is a long-term crop. It takes three years to harvest a full crop and, because it is a perennial, it will come back year after year. It needs a permanent bed in the garden. It is hardy and can grow in frosty areas or salty soil in coastal areas. It is native to Europe, Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is now grown around the world with Peru, China, Brazil and the United States dominating the export market. Interesting facts: When it is really hot, asparagus can grow more than 15cm a day. Asparagus contains asparagusic acid which your body makes into suphur compounds – that is what makes your wee smelly!