Asparagus 'Pacific Purple'

Eating asparagus is a whole new, delightfully delicious experience when you grow 'Pacific Purple' Asparagus in the vegetable patch. A British variety, bred for flavor and heavy yields, it succeeds wildly on both counts: it is by far the most prolific of the purples, and the flavor is legendary. Boasting 20% more sugar than green asparagus, the 6- to 7-inch long, extra thick spears are super succulent, mild, nutty, and sweet; and whether lightly steamed or simply eaten raw, they are tender from tip to base, none of the fibrous, stringy texture of green varieties.

Its benefits go well beyond its striking color and beauty. Concealed within each yummy bite is a good serving of anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant that helps fight cancer. This asparagus is a superfood, essential to a nutritious disease-prevention diet.

'Pacific Purple' is a long-lived perennial, setting crops for more than a decade, with large, fern-like foliage reaching 4 to 5 feet high and 12 to 30 inches wide. Bear in mind that this is a tall plant that will shade neighboring plants during the growing season. Before planting these bareroots, enrich the planting site with a balanced fertilizer and make sure the drainage is good. Raised beds work well for this perennial, but traditional rows are also fine. The spears ripen in mid to late season. After harvest, let the foliage die down naturally; it feeds the plant as it matures, so don't cut it back until it falls over. During the first two years, as the plants reach maturity, make sure they never dry out completely. Cut back the dead foliage in late autumn and keep the bed weeded to prevent insects from sheltering near the plants.

Purple asparagus has actually been around a long, long time; records exist of it being grown in France more than 150 years ago, and it was not new then. But it has only recently arrived on American tables, and we are proud to make the plant available to gardeners this season.