Bath asparagus
Loncomelos pyrenaicum
vegetable
⚠️ Toxic look-alike
Never eat this plant unless you are certain it is not its toxic look-alike.
Other star-of-Bethlehem species, especially Ornithogalum umbellatum, are toxic to the heart, like lily of the valley, which grows in the same woods. Bath asparagus is picked as a long, thin, upright spike before flowering; Ornithogalum umbellatum has ribbon-like leaves with a white stripe down the middle and flowers as white stars close to the ground; lily of the valley has two broad oval leaves. It is sold at markets in Poitou and Burgundy: safer than foraging.
If in the slightest doubt, leave it. If you feel unwell after eating it, even several hours later, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or 911.
Young flower spikes picked in bud, cooked like thin asparagus, with a milder taste.
- Origin
- Western Europe (Poitou, Burgundy, Pyrenees)
- Season (United States)
- April to June
- Preparation
- The tender part of the stem is kept, buds included, snapping where it breaks naturally; it is cooked for three to five minutes in water or steamed, like asparagus. It is not eaten raw.
- Molecules
- In small amounts, not counted Insoluble fibers
- Did you know?
- In Poitou, it is sold in bunches at the May markets.