Practical
Plants

Ornithogalum pyrenaicum

Bath Asparagus

a member of the Ornithogalum genus in the family Liliaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Liliaceae
Height
0.6 m
Spread
0.2 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Skin contact with the bulb can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[13]. Any toxins in this plant are concentrated in the bulb[7].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young shoots - cooked[1][11][10][12]. The young, unexpanded flowering shoots are cooked and served like asparagus[6][8][2][3][4].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Stem

Environment

Range
S. Europe. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat
Woods and scrub[2]. Dry stony places[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[7]. Sow the seed thinly and leave the seedlings undisturbed in the pots for their first dormancy, but apply liquid feed at intervals, especially in their second year of growth. Divide the bulbs at the end of their second year of growth, putting 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for one more year and them plant them out into their permanent positions whilst they are dormant. The seed can also be sown in a cold frame in early spring. Division of offsets in September/October[7]. The larger bulbs can be replanted immediately into their permanent positions. It is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on for a year before planting them out when dormant in late summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easily grown plant, succeeding in ordinary garden soil[1][9], thriving in sun or shade[9]. Succeeds in dry soils and, once established, is drought tolerant[5]. Plants are hardy to about -20°c[7]. Grows well in the wild garden[7]. The flowering shoots used to be sold as a food crop in Bath market[4].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  5. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

    ↩1↩2

  6. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  8. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  9. Grey. C. H. Hardy Bulbs. Williams & Norgate. 1938-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  10. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  11. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

    ↩

  12. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  13. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

    ↩

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