Male / female asparagus info

17 years ago

I thought I would share some information I received when I wrote Jersey Asparagus Farms:

I bought a ten "all male" Giant Grade Jersey King and planted them this spring. One of them has tiny blossoms. Wouldn't that indicate that it's female? I'd like to pull that one out and replace it, but wanted to know for sure.

Reply:

All asparagus plants (male and female) will produce blossoms. The difference is that males will produce male flowers and the female plants will produce female flowers. After a month or so the female flowers turn into berries. That's when you will know if you have any females. The Jersey varieties are male hybrids, not all male. Somebody gave it the all male name many years ago when they shouldn't have. There are female plants mixed in the Jersey lines. In our commercial fields we just leave the females rather than pull them.

Featured Answer

Snomam
Original Author

17 years ago

Someone on this thread had written about the size of the spear indicating which was male or female, but I don't know about that. I prefer the thinner ones anyway. Here's the link for Jersey Asparagus Farms, click on "questions" on the left side near the bottom and an email will open: http://www.jafinc.com/

Comments (6)

valleyrimgirl
17 years ago
Kim,

Do you know if the size of the spear is different from the male to the female? I was told that the female asparagus has the thin spears while the male ones are the nice thick juicy ones that you actually want to pick and eat. Any truth to that idea? Can you ask?

Brenda
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FrozeBudd_z3/4
17 years ago
Kim, the variety 'Guelph Millenium' is an all male variety that you really should look into! I have this varitey along with 'Jersery Knight' ... and I'd say GM has a superior taste! Both are productive and of course never produce any seed!

Terry
Snomam
Original Author
17 years ago
Apparently 'Guelph Millenium' crowns aren't available in the U.S. yet, only seeds. I haven't had much luck with asparagus seeds.
Laurie_z3_MB
17 years ago
For asparagus seeds, just sprinkle them on the ground wherever you want them to grow in the fall, and they'll be up next spring. Mine self seed this way.
FrozeBudd_z3/4
17 years ago
YES, asparagus come EASILY from seed! You can sow them in the house in March, about 1/2 deep, average temperatures, and they'll be up in about two weeks. Plant out when the weather is settled.

Terry