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Description:

Feathery blue-green foliage, succulent spears, a high producing female variety that tends to self-seed and thus multiply; let foliage stand over winter to insulate crowns and cut back in spring; fusarium resistant, enrich soil with compost

Edible Qualities

Mary Washington Asparagus is a perennial vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. The stems are usually harvested from mid to late spring. The stems have a pleasant taste.

The stems are most often used in the following ways:

• Cooking

Planting & Growing

Mary Washington Asparagus will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid, and it is considered by many to be an heirloom variety.