Grow the Asparagus with the difference! That difference is color and flavor and it will make one of the best treats of the garden, fresh Asparagus, even better! ‘Purple Passion’ will start sending its thick spears through the soil in late April as the ground warms. You’ll notice two things immediately: The spears seem thicker than green Asparagus and you’ll rub your eyes at its outlandish deep burgundy-purple color! As spears elongate, you can cut them at ground level to harvest and then you’ll have a choice to make. Will you eat them raw and take advantage of the sugar content that is 20% higher than that of green Asparagus or will you steam them and revel in their mild, nutty flavor even as they lose their purple color when cooking? Either choice is a delicious one! ‘Purple Passion’ is easy to grow and will last in the garden for years acting as a perennial that dies to the ground in winter. When you plant, do not harvest the first year and only lightly harvest the second to give this garden treat the chance to establish so it will keep on giving for years to come.

Jersey Knight Asparagus is an improved, vigorous hybrid that grows only male plants meaning more energy toward growing plants and less to maturing seeds. This heavy producer yields 3 to 4 times more tender stalks then other varieties and is highly disease resistant. Asparagus is the earliest vegetable harvested fresh from the garden each spring. It is known for its flavor and nutrition and is an excellent source of vitamin A and contains significant amounts of vitamin C, riboflavin, phosphorus and calcium. One cup of cooked fresh asparagus contains only 30 calories! ‘Jersey Knight’ is a perennial plant that comes back from the same root system each year. A productive bed of asparagus can last 15 years or longer. It needs well-drained, deep soil and plenty of sunlight. Make sure you fight the urge to harvest too much of the delectable shoots of ‘Jersey Knight’ in the first year or two in the ground…let it get established so you can harvest more in the future!

This delicious and nutritous new intro is an all-male hybrid: more energy is used toward growing plants and less to maturing seeds, producing huge 7-9″ green spears with attractive purple bracts. Even more impressive is its resistance to rust, fusarium, and crown and root rot. ‘Jersey Giant’ is the most winter hardy of all the Jersey Hybrids and it is widely adapted to temperate and cool climates, insuring a decade or more of “Giant” harvests!