Asparagus officinalis 'Purple Passion'
vegetablePurple Passion is an open-pollinated purple asparagus that produces tender, sweet, burgundy-purple spears with a notably higher sugar content (commonly cited around 20 percent more) than green asparagus. Bred from old Italian purple types, it is a standard variety rather than an all-male hybrid, so a bed includes both male and female plants. The spears turn green when cooked but eat raw beautifully in salads, with a mild, slightly nutty flavor and a tender texture that is less stringy than green spears, so you eat more of each stalk.
Sun
full sun
Water
Every 4 days
Harvest
~18 months
to first harvest
Difficulty
medium
Lifecycle
perennial
Comes back every year
Spacing
12-18 in in row, 36 in between rows
Planting Depth
Crowns in 6-12 in trench, cover gradually
Soil pH
6.5-7.0
Soil Type
Rich, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3 – 8
When to Fertilize
Pre-plant; annually in early spring once established
Fertilizer
10-10-10 at 1 to 1.5 lb per 100 sq ft pre-plant; compost annually
Plant 1-year-old crowns in early spring as soon as soil can be worked. Dig a 6 to 12 in deep trench in well-prepared soil; in heavy clay use 6 to 8 in depth, in sandy soil 10 to 12 in. Set crowns root-spread over a soil ridge, 12 to 18 in apart in rows 3 ft apart. Cover with 2 in of soil initially, then add 2 more in as spears emerge. Wait until year 2 or 3 to harvest; established beds produce 15 to 20 years.
Direct sow
Apr 15
Projected first harvest
Apr 22 · Year 3
Year 1
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Hand-pick adults and crush dark egg clusters on spears; cut and burn old ferns in fall
Space for airflow; remove old ferns in late fall; purple varieties have only moderate rust tolerance, so keep the bed clean
Avoid soggy soils; rotate alternate veg out of the asparagus bed
Iron phosphate bait around young spears; clear garden debris
Begin harvesting purple asparagus in year 2 or 3 when spears are 6 to 8 in tall and pencil-thick. Snap or cut at soil level. The purple color fades to green when cooked, but holds beautifully when eaten raw in salads (shaved thin or sliced into rounds). Cut for 2 to 3 weeks in the first harvest year, 6 to 8 weeks in mature beds. Refrigerate trimmed in damp towels for up to a week.
About 20 calories per 100 g with 2.1 g fiber, 5.6 mg vitamin C, 202 mg potassium, 52 mcg folate, and 41 mcg vitamin K. The purple pigment is anthocyanin, an antioxidant absent from green asparagus, and the higher sugar content makes raw eating particularly enjoyable.
Eat the spears. The small red berries that form on mature female plants are toxic and should not be eaten.
For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.
Year 2
Year 3