Pit Pit (aka New Guinea asparagus)

Setaria palmaefolia (short) and  Saccharus edule (tall)

Origin: hot, humid tropics of New Guinea

Plant: Sept – Nov only, in a shady, boggy site

Harvest: Dec – March.

Propagate: from cuttings

Short Pit Pit takes about 4 – 5 months from planting to harvesting the swollen edible stalks.  It needs to be cut back to the ground when the weather cools down, to prevent the stalks becoming leggy, fibrous and inedible.  The cuttings can be used as a ‘chop n drop’ or as cuttings to make new plants.  When cooking, an approx 12cm portion of the stem is boiled for about 20-30 minutes, then peeled and eaten as a snack or added to salads or stir-frys; (raw Pit Pit can cause bellyache).  Nice with a white or coconut cream sauce and browned under the grill. The tall Pit Pit is more useful as a windbreak or for interplanting.