Asparagus officinalis
For the first 15 years I lived in China, I never saw asparagus once. Then about 5 or 6 years ago it began to appear sporadically. Now it is everywhere and China has become, by far, the world's largest producer.
Other names in English include sparrowgrass and sprue, although the latter is usually only used for inferior straggly stalks. My son, as a child, called it 'sparrow juice', which remains a family tradition. In Chinese, it's 芦笋 (Mand: lú sǔn; Cant: lou4 seon2), literally 'reed' bamboo'. This causes all sorts of confusion. Most Chinese friends are convinced it's a type of bamboo, despite it being totally unrelated.
I've only ever seen it being stir fried in Chinese cuisine.
Being from the UK, I know that the best asparagus (and my 100% favourite vegetable) is English asparagus, only available from April 23rd until mid-summer's day. End of argument.
