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Old October 26, 2016   #9
greenthumbomaha
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Omaha Zone 5
Posts: 2,514
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Hmm, I hope I didn't mistake Mary for Martha. It was a fairly common variety. I also saw crowns for it at many stores, from Wal Mart to high end nurseries.

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevenkh1 View Post
Thank you, BD - I have plenty of the Mary Washington variety. I'm looking for her siblings, Martha Washington (Lisa turned me on to where to buy seeds) and Waltham Washington varieties (I am worried this variety is extinct).

For the older varieties (1800's era):
  • Perfection is an American variety and appears to be extinct.
  • Giant French - appears to be extinct.
  • Argentenil Early Giant - appears to be extinct.
  • Argentenil Late Giant - appears to be extinct.
  • Connover's Colossal - Despite numerous modern books discussing this variety, I cannot crown nor seed in the U.S. The only place I could find where it is grown is in England (got seeds coming). According to the Chas Ilott's Book of Asparagus, 1909, Colossal is not as good as the four varieties above.
  • Palmetto is an American variety that found its way to Europe but that too, appears to be extinct.
  • Barr's Mammoth - appears to be extinct.
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