a member of the Lily family. Its green stems function as leaves,
and the true leaves are reduced to scales. Commercial plantings
take two or more years to become established and require much
hand labor in all phases. Asparagus is harvested when the spears
emerge in the springtime. Individual spears are harvested when
they are approximately nine inches long with compact, tight
heads and good green color. to CAMP Focus What It Is The name
asparagus comes from the Greek language meaning “sprout” or
“shoot.” Widely cultivated for its tender, succulent, edible
shoots, asparagus cultivation began more than 2,000 years ago in
the eastern Mediterranean. Greeks and Romans prized asparagus
for its unique flavor, texture and alleged medicinal qualities.
They ate it fresh when in season and dried the vegetable for use
in winter. Wild asparagus grows in such diverse places as
England, central Wisconsin, Russia, and Poland. Asparagus is
depicted in ancient Egyptian writings. Asparagus has also been
grown in Syria and Spain