Is it true white asparagus comes from the same plant as green asparagus?
Yes, that is true. When the spears emerge from the ground, the sunlight turns the stalks green. To get white asparagus, about 6 inches of dirt is piled on top of the plants so that the stalks can grow underground. They will grow at the same rate as an uncovered stalk. When the tip breaks the soil surface, the worker probes under ground with his special knife to cut the stalk. This stalk is all white. A white Asparagus Farm in Eastern Germany Purple Asparagus Purple asparagus originated from a region around Albenga, Italy. This “cultivar” is known as Violetto d/Albenga. Although the spears are of deep purple color, the ferns are actually green. The farmers in Albenga region propagate the plants using seeds from open pollination. Seeds are usually collected from vigorous female plants producing large spears. Purple hybrids produce larger spears but fewer in number per plant than the green hybrids. Purple asparagus is much sweeter and more tender than green asparagus. Thus, it is very sui