Do you want a lot of purple asparagus? Then Pacific Purple asparagus is the plant for you. A British variety, Pacific Purple comes up big on taste and yield—it’s considered the most prolific of all purples. With 20% more sugar than green varieties, Pacific Purple has a sweet, mild, slightly nutty flavor. It has tender flesh from tip to base, so you can eat it straight from the garden raw or lightly steamed. Like all purple varieties, cooking will turn the spears green, but the ‘purple’ flavor remains. When covered completely with soil or a light-proof tarp when shoots emerge, Pacific Purple becomes an extra sweet white asparagus!

Sun Exposure

• Full sun (six to eight hours)

Soil pH

• 7.0 to 7.2

Hardiness Zones

• 3 to 9

Spacing

• 10 to 12 inches apart
• 3 feet between rows

Moisture

• Water deeply 1 inch a week; do not let soil completely dry out

Notes

• Deep purple, slightly thick spears
• Plant grows to 4 to 5 feet, spears 6 to 7 inches
• Produces male and female plants
• Freezes well
• Show-stopping in salads and hors d’oeuvres

Have you ever grown Pacific Purple asparagus? Please tell us about your experiences with Pacific Purple asparagus.