THE HIDDEN SHOOTS
Walk in search of Wild Asparagus
By Maurizio Cruciani
22th April 2025 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Villa Petto, Colledara (TE, Italy), in the countryside
6 places available
During the spring time wild asparagus grows in the countryside of Colledara, around the villages and along the footpaths down the sides of the roads, at the edge of the woods, hidden in the grass and the shrubs. In great demand for its particular taste and nutritional properties, and its suitability for making salad and sauces, pasta and frittatas (similar to omelettes), wild asparagus attracts the attention of many people, who enjoy hunting for the plant and preparing the dishes.
Wild asparagus are sprouts of a rhizomatous and thorny plant called asparagus acutifolius, which belongs to the Liliaceae family. They grow spontaneously from March to May all over the Mediterranean area, in uncultivated meadows, glades and woodland areas up to a height of 1,300 metres and they are found everywhere in the Italian peninsula, with the exception of Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta and Trentino. The aerial part of the plant has a long woody stem of a pale green or deep green colour, with shades of violet near the tip, which is similar to a spike. The top of the sprout, the most tender and edible part, is called the shoot; it has a strong and bitter taste and is rich in health benefits.
Foraging for wild asparagus requires a lot of attention and concentration, as the sprouts are camouflaged very well among the grass and the leaves of the undergrowth. It is necessary to learn about the right way to hunt for asparagus, in order to protect the plant and the environment that surrounds it.
This guided walk, with a knowledge-based educational objective was organised in collaboration with the Academy of the Wild Asparagus, which was founded with the aim of spreading knowledge about wild asparagus, its use in cooking and its nutritional properties, through events and initiatives for promoting the product and the social activities potentially related to its collection and its use.
Maurizio Cruciani, founder and promoter of the Association, led a stroll around the countryside of Colledara, close to Villa Petto, searching for asparagus, explaining the foraging techniques and their use in the kitchen; the participants were thus able to enjoy a journey of discovery in the midst of nature, taking part in a training activity in the field along with members of the Academy.
The foraging activity ended with an asparagus-based snack.
Some of the fresh asparagus was used for the preparation of the snack. Everyone took home the rest of the asparagus that they had picked.
