10 Varieties Of Asparagus, Explained

Asparagus is a versatile, nutritious vegetable that can play almost any role in a meal, from a hearty main dish to a delicious side to a base for soups and salads. While many consumers are primarily familiar with the long, green spears typically sold in grocery stores, there are quite a few varieties of asparagus, each with unique attributes that make it conducive to particular meals.

But before getting to subtypes, let's talk a little about the vegetable as a whole. According to Encyclopedia Brittanica, over 300 species of asparagus (though some are only ornamental) exist. The plant returns every year, and a productive asparagus plot may last a decade or longer.

What you actually eat from an asparagus plant are the young shoots, notes PlantVillage at Penn State University. And, perhaps most notable of all, when it comes to eating, asparagus is highly nutritious, packed with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and a host of other vitamins and minerals. Read on to learn a little more about these varieties of asparagus.

One of the principal differences between asparagus varieties in color is that perhaps nowhere is this more pronounced than with white asparagus. This apparently unique variety actually isn't so unique after all: All asparagus is technically "white" before it pops out of the soil and begins to photosynthesize with sunlight, per Michigan Asparagus. White asparagus is, for the most part, simply harvested before it surfaces. But there's more to the difference than just color. According to Specialty Produce, white asparagus is highly prized in certain regions, particularly in Europe.

When it comes to cooking, there is more to the difference than color. White asparagus tends to be tougher than green asparagus but has a milder taste. And finally, it's important to consider the cost: White asparagus is often harder to find and tends to be a little more expensive than typical green asparagus. But if you're interested in a culinary delicacy, give it a try!

Although perhaps less well-known these days, asparagus isn't only found in the grocery store or garden — it can also be foraged! Per Specialty Produce, wild asparagus can generally be found in late spring. The plant tends to be thinner than its cultivated counterpart, but is rich in flavor, and equally rich in vitamins and nutrients, containing potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and a whole host of other minerals. Of course, foraging takes a little know-how of its own.

According to the University of Wyoming Extension, wild asparagus likes to grow in sandy and moist soils and areas that are somewhat disturbed. Of course, it's important to know the laws around foraging, and be sure you're not trespassing as you look to harvest a good crop. But once you've found some, you can use it just like regular asparagus — you'll just want to keep in mind that the uncultivated spears tend not to be as fat.

Looking for something a little more "upscale?" You could do worse than Precoce D'Argenteuil, an heirloom variety of asparagus that — as the name suggests — originated in France, (via CC Grow). It's an attractive variety of asparagus, with a spectrum of colors ranging from green to purple. According to Smart Gardener, it's considered particularly sweet and nutty and is more tender than traditional asparagus.

Its purple tips, as with purple passion asparagus, will become green as they cook. It's also an interesting variety to grow if you have garden space: As an heirloom, you can rest assured it has a long genetic history of sturdiness that makes it a prime choice for a home plot. Aside from its unique look and flavor, it is drought-resistant and frost tolerant, meaning it's more likely to survive even if you don't have a green thumb. Its sweeter, nuttier flavor lends it to plenty of delicate recipes that call for asparagus. If you're not sure where to begin, how about an asparagus and goat cheese tart?

The asparagus plant is not originally native to North America. According to Encyclopedia Brittanica, its origins range from Siberia to Africa. That said, it has been popular in North America, and in the United States, for a long time — long enough, in fact, for heirloom varieties to grow in popularity in the U.S. One particularly popular variety, particularly for home gardeners, is Mary Washington asparagus.

The variety was originally bred by the United States Department of Agriculture's J. B. Norton in the early 1900s and has stayed popular for over a century. The variety is all-female, adds the Missouri Botanical Garden, and tends to produce particularly large stalks of asparagus, and its crop arrives earlier than other varieties. As with many other varieties surveyed here, Mary Washington asparagus is quite versatile. Are you looking for inspiration? For a well-rounded meal, consider searing it with fish and morel mushrooms.

The nice thing about plant cultivation — including with asparagus — is that new varieties continue to be developed all the time. Horticulturists work hard to breed new and diverse varieties of plants that are hardier, more drought tolerant, more resistant to disease, and overall stronger and more productive. If you are interested in trying out a choice new variety of asparagus, look out for (or try growing your own) Viking KB3 asparagus. Viking KB3 is actually a sub-type of the heirloom variety Mary Washington, and it was first created in Canada (per Country Folks Grower).

According to supplier Harris Seeds, Viking KB3 is also notable for producing substantial yields of asparagus. Finally, Viking KB3 is also a good choice if you are after a slightly thinner variety of asparagus, making it a fantastic choice for everything from pickled asparagus to sourdough avocado toast with poached egg and asparagus.