Wild asparagus

Description
Asparagus is a perennial evergreen plant, that grows in the form of a semo-bush. The stalks are partially laid down, up to 2 m in length and quite woody. The plants grow somewhere between 30 - 70 cm. Photosynthesis takes place in needle-shaped shoots, which are  flattened, leaf-like shoots of shoots. The mature leafs are slammed and look like small sheets of paper. The flowers are bell-shaped, green white to yellow coloured, 4.5-5.5 cm long and grouped together.They bloom in August and September. The plant is bicameral, which means that only male or female flowers grow on one plant. After flowering, it forms small red or black strawberries in the size of 5-6 mm, which finally mature in the winter. Early spring, young shoots emerge from an underground stem or rhizome, which have been collected by humans for millennia. This wonderful plant has been enriching Istrian menus for decades and has helped the survival of their households.

Growth conditions and habitat
For growth it needs a sunny and warm place, they also thrive in partial shade. They are most commonly found on the edges of forests, along the paths, between bushes and in uncultivated landscapes. The soil must be sandy to loamy and well water-permeable. If we want to acquire seeds, we must plant male and female plants together. We sow them in spring (March, April). We harvest young shoots (20 - 30 cm long) in early spring.

Culinary use
Wild asparagus has a strong, bitter taste and doesn’t have a lot of calories. Before it was used in cooking, it was known as an excellent treatment against heart problems,edema, toothaches and insect repulsions. It contains many different vitamins and minerals, such as phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, iodine, vitamins C, A and B complex and many antioxidants. It purifies blood, relieves digestion and helps with urinary tract disorders. It grows in the coastal areas of the Mediterranean climate.

Sources:
Babnik, N.: Samonikle vrste šparglja (Asparagus L.) v Sloveniji,… in razmnoževanje s tkivnimi kulturami. Univerza v Ljubljani, Biotehniška fakulteta, oddelek za agronomijo, magistrsko delo, 2001
http://lifestyle.enaa.com/zdravje-in-prosti-cas/Divji-sparglji-zakladnica-mineralov-in-antioksidantov.html
https://www.coloursofistria.com/sl/gastronomija/istrske-jedi/divji-sparglji