Asparagus Coloring Pages

Crunchy and Full of Goodness Asparagus is a plant that comes back year after year. It belongs to the lily (or asparagus) family. We eat the young stems that sprout up from the ground one after another. It has a unique sweet taste with a tiny bit of bitterness. It is full of "asparagines," a nutrient that helps you feel less tired. It is a super healthy vegetable!

Its Name and Where It Came From

The name of Asparagus comes from how fast it grows!

• English name: Asparagus

• Name origin: People say its name comes from the ancient Greek word "asparagos." This word means "splits into many parts" or "sprouts wildly." Just like its name says, it shoots up with lots of energy from the ground in spring!

• Japanese name: In Japanese, it has a cool name called "Oranda Kijikakushi." This means "Dutch pheasant-hider." It got this name because its leafy branches grow so bushy that a big bird like a pheasant can hide inside!

Harvest Time and Growing Secrets

Harvest time The best season for Asparagus in Japan is spring, around April to June.

• Early spring: You can pick thick, soft stalks that have just popped out of the ground.

• Summertime: In summer, it grows even faster! The stalks are a little thinner, but they have a strong, yummy flavor.

How it grows Once you plant Asparagus, you can harvest it every year for more than 10 years! It is a super long-lasting vegetable.

• Green Asparagus: This kind grows under lots of bright sunlight.

• White Asparagus: This kind is covered with dirt to block the light, so it grows pure white. They are actually the exact same plant! Isn't it cool how the color and taste change depending on how you grow them?

Here are some tips to make your Asparagus look lively!

Bright Shades on the Stems

• Base color: Try coloring the whole stem in bright yellow-green first.

• The tips: Mix in a little purple or dark green on the tips. It will look just like real Asparagus!

• Make it 3D: Draw a thin deep green line along just one side of the stem. This makes the round stems pop right out!

If It Grows from the Ground

• Color the dirt at the bottom brown or black. You can add tiny green plants around it in light green to show a lively farm look!

• Try outlining the little triangle scales on the stem with a bit of dark brown.

If You Have a Bunch of Asparagus

• When a few stems overlap, color the shady parts underneath in dark green. This gives your picture depth and makes it look real!

• Pro tip: Leave the brightest spots white without any color to show a shiny, fresh look!

It Grows at Super Speed!

Asparagus has one of the fastest growth speeds of all vegetables. When it is warm and after it rains, it can grow more than 10 centimeters in just one day! That is why farmers sometimes harvest it twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

The Secret of the Triangle "Scales"

You can see little triangular flaps along the stem, right? These are called "hakama" (scales), but they are actually small, leftover "leaves." The real leaves are the fluffy, fine parts that come out from the branches after the plant grows big.

A Vegetable with Boys and Girls

Asparagus actually has male plants and female plants, just like people! Female plants grow red berries, but male plants grow thicker and stronger. That is why almost all the Asparagus sold at the supermarket comes from male plants.

The Difference Between Green and White is Sunlight

Green Asparagus and White Asparagus are actually the exact same type of vegetable! If you let it grow in the sun, it turns green. But if you cover it with soil and grow it without sunlight, it turns white. Isn't it amazing how the color and taste change just by how you grow it?