Researchers in Germany have found that around 75 percent of vegetables grown at some point between 1836 and 1956 no longer exist, Germany's Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) said on Thursday.

The BLE tasked researchers at the Humboldt University in Berlin with examining historical documents to compile a database of some 7,000 vegetables.

Read more: The Germans' annual obsession with asparagus

Mass extinction

The results showed that seeds of around 5,250 listed vegetables no longer existed, while 16 percent were "endangered."

Germany's love affair with asparagus, the 'vegetable of kings' Take the 'Asparagus Road' When makeshift stalls and signs advertising fresh asparagus pop up along the roadside, Germans know it's "Spargelzeit," the brief asparagus season. Over a few weeks, people go wild with asparagus dishes and every restaurant has a special asparagus menu. In North Rhine-Westphalia, 140 farms have mapped out a distinctive culinary route they've called the "Spargelstrasse" (Asparagus Road).

Germany's love affair with asparagus, the 'vegetable of kings' Crisp, slender spears Customers have a choice of different qualities, the most expensive being the stalks that are straight, have a length of about 22 centimeters and tightly closed tips, followed by less-perfect spears – too thin, bended – or even broken. No fuss: some stalls sell ready-peeled asparagus, as unlike the green variety, white asparagus must be peeled.

Germany's love affair with asparagus, the 'vegetable of kings' Perfect, broken or peeled Germans can never seem to get enough of the slender white stalks only available for a few weeks each year: the season begins in mid April and invariably ends on June 24. Supermarkets, farms, farmer's markets and roadside vendors categorize and price the vegetable according to length and tips. In 2018, customers paid an average of €5.48 ($6.18) for a kilo of white asparagus.

Germany's love affair with asparagus, the 'vegetable of kings' A classic dish The "vegetable of kings" is traditionally served with melted butter or creamy rich Hollandaise sauce, boiled new potatoes and thin slices of cold ham. From soups, tartes and omelettes to schnapps, there's no limit to people's creativity when it comes to asparagus.

Germany's love affair with asparagus, the 'vegetable of kings' Asparagus history Asparagus was a delicacy even in ancient times. Roman historian Marcus Porcius Cato described its cultivation in his book "De agri cultura." King Louis XIV had asparagus grown in Versailles in 17th century France. In 1852, a cannery in the German town of Brunswick started canning asparagus: Finally, it was available year-round.

Germany's love affair with asparagus, the 'vegetable of kings' Harvested by hand The stalks grow under long mounds of heaped soil, and unlike green asparagus, they need to be harvested before they reach the sunlight. It is labor-intensive work, as every single stalk is harvested by hand. In 2017, many thousands of workers — mainly from Romania and Poland — cut some 129,600 tons of white asparagus in Germany during the short season.

Germany's love affair with asparagus, the 'vegetable of kings' Queen of the stalks In spring, asparagus-growing regions all over Germany invariably crown a new asparagus queen. The young women, often growers' daughters, promote and represent the seasonal delicacy. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which is the most populous in Germany, requires "candidates to be between 18 and 25 years old and definitely independently mobile so they can cover events on their own."

Germany's love affair with asparagus, the 'vegetable of kings' A museum of its own A museum in the Bavarian town of Schrobenhausen is dedicated solely to the royal vegetable. Opened in a 15th century tower in 1985, the museum was turned into the only European Asparagus Museum six years later. The exhibits shine a light on everything asparagus, including agriculture, history, literature, art and curios, including the above tongs. Author: Dagmar Breitenbach



The BLE defined as endangered those vegetables no longer grown, but whose seeds still exist in European seed banks.

That left only 9 percent of recorded vegetables — around 600 greens — that are still regularly traded and grown today.

Database as 'inspiration'

The BLE said the research project aimed to support the UN's Sustainable Development Goals by shedding light on "forgotten vegetables" and "supporting cultivation" in people's gardens.

Read more: Common German vegetables you may have never eaten before

The agency has published the database along with some 3,000 historic vegetable sketches and pictures online.

The agency said the images would give people an impression of the diversity of German vegetation and "inspire" them to do their own research into historic vegetables.