What is sold very expensive as “bath asparagus” is in fact only distantly related to the real asparagus.

The genus name “Ornithogalum” is derived from two Greek words, ορνισ ornithos (bird) and gala (milk). Due to this, the genus is (among others) called “Vogelmilch” in German, but also “Gärtnertod” (“gardener death”), which suggests nothing good about it: the bulbs are poisonous. In English you may know its name “(Spiked) Star of Bethlehem”. But more important to know is that its flower sprouts, which look like green corn ears, are edible and are prepared like green asparagus or eaten raw.

• Edible Shoots
• Culinary Group Sprouts
• Taste neutral
• Trivial Names Pyrenäen-Milchstern, Preußischer Spargel, Waldspargel, Wildspargel, Vogelmilch, Stern von Bethlehem, Gärtnerschreck, Gärtnertod, Bath Asparagus, Prussian Asparagus, Pyrenees star of Bethlehem, Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem, Ornithogale des Pyrénées, Asperge des bois, Aspergette, Espárrago triguero, Leche de gallina, Palera
• Size 13 cm
• Taxonomy Asparagaceae Ornithogalum pyrenaicum
• Origin Europe (Map)
• Locality Kleinmarkthalle Frankfurt 2015