Crop type: Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis ‘Backlim’
Common name: Asparagus ‘Backlim’
Crop slug: asparagus
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile. Check the source and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Backlim’ is a long-lived, all-male asparagus cultivar grown for straight, flavoursome young spears. It crops reliably in the middle to later part of the asparagus season and offers good yields. After harvesting ends, the crowns produce tall stems with light, feathery green foliage that may need support.
The spring spears are green with purple colouring. Plants are deciduous, dying back after their summer growth, and form a bushy but upright clump.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 0.5–1 metre
- Ultimate spread
- 0.5–1 metre
- Time to ultimate size
- 2–5 years
Reserve a permanent position that can accommodate a mature clump up to about a metre high and wide. The airy summer stems benefit from support even though the harvested spring spears are short.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Chalk, clay, loam and sand
- Moisture
- Well-drained
- Soil pH
- Alkaline or neutral
Choose fertile soil that drains freely. Where drainage is poor, a raised bed can provide more suitable root conditions. Keep the permanent bed free of weeds without disturbing the crown.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun
- Aspect
- South- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- Hardiness
- H4 — hardy through most of the UK when established, although a sheltered site helps protect its seasonal growth
Give ‘Backlim’ a warm, sunny position protected from strong winds. Shelter is especially helpful once the tall, feathery summer stems develop.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
| Season | Stems | Flowers | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Green and purple | — | — | — |
| Summer | — | — | Green | — |
| Autumn | — | — | Green | — |
The green-and-purple spring spears provide the cultivar's main edible display. An em dash means the RHS profile does not state a colour for that field and season.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy and columnar upright
- Name status
- Accepted
Genus
Asparagus includes evergreen and deciduous perennials or subshrubs, some with a climbing habit and tuberous rootstocks. Their stems carry small scale-like leaves alongside larger leaf-like phylloclades, with small white or pinkish flowers that may be followed by red berries.
Safety
The young spears are edible when cooked. Wear gloves while picking because contact may cause a skin allergy, and do not eat the harmful fruits.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Plant in fertile, well-drained ground or a raised bed. Apply mulch in winter, fertilise in spring and keep the bed weed-free. Allow the crown to establish before harvesting, then leave the fern-like growth to replenish it after the cutting season.
Propagation
Propagate by crowns. Seed propagation is possible but is not advised for preserving this all-male cultivar: seedlings take longer to mature and may not retain the male characteristic associated with stronger cropping plants.
Suggested locations
- Wildlife gardens
- Sunny, sheltered edible gardens
- Raised vegetable beds with free drainage
Pruning
Cut the foliage down to ground level after it has yellowed in autumn.
Pests
‘Backlim’ may be susceptible to asparagus beetle, slugs and snails. Check emerging spears and summer foliage regularly for feeding damage.
Diseases
Possible problems include foot and root rots and violet root rot. Free-draining soil helps reduce conditions that favour root decay.