Asparagus is a long lasting perennial, and the first vegetable harvested each spring. It is prized for its flavor, is rich in vitamins and minerals, and is only 30 calories per cup. Compare this to the grocery price of fresh Asparagus, and you can easily justify the effort of growing your own. Fun Fact: 12 crowns should provide enough fresh asparagus for 1 person for the season. Plant more if you are planning on freezing or canning the spears. Mary Washington is an heirloom (1919) variety, and the parent stock of many of the more modern hybrid varieties. It's known to be uniform in size, resistant to asparagus rust and to have a fuller flavor. This open-pollinated variety will reproduce from female flowers in your growing bed, making more and more plants over the years. These plants will grow forever and ours are GMO Free.