wild purple asparagus?

I was out mountain biking near Victoria on vancouver island and discovered what looks like wild asparagus, idon't hava a picture but it was single shoots coming up from mossy areas on average about 8-10 inches high and 5-10mm diameter, it looked like thin asparagus only it was a deep burgandy color. Anybody know what this is? Is it asparagus? is it edible?

 

Young Thalictrum stems somewhat remind Asparagus.

 

Probably something else but Asparagus officinalis does sometimes escape cultivation and pop up wild.

 

thanks, i'll try to get a picture next time, i was really hoping it was asparagus!

 

Are these what you found? I was camping a few days ago and found these in patches around in the woods, they were also near low plants with red berries like asparagus~ Hope to hear back soon thanks!

EDIT: I think I found what it may be..called pine drops // Pterospora andromedea // They were growing near cedar aspen and pine trees~

 

No, it's not Pterospora andromedea.

 

Those are young Corallorhiza, or coralroot orchids. Not protected, but why pick so many?

I suspect that might also be what the original poster found, as well.

 

Because I was eating them ;0
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When I'm in the area again I'll get some photos of the plants around it, there were the little red berries and other things that suggested it may be a different plant~

 

Eating without identifying? Can't say I'd recommend that as a long-term strategy!

 

From what I did look up before I ate them was they were not toxic and have a bit of sugar and fiber in them so I figured if it tasted okay it was a free snack. I just moved to a new region so there are some plants I haven't seen before this being one of them, moving north 1500 miles brings a lot of change

 

I guarantee that those are coralroots. Here's an image of a slightly less-developed plant. The flowers were just about to pop on some of the ones you cut.

 

Yeah I think you're right, now I want to find out what those berries are though. I really like to forage and I'm from a tropical zone in south texas that moved to colorado, it looks like these are abundant here so it wouldn't hurt for me to pick a few. Not sure if I want to eat them anymore until I look up more on the nutrition of them.

 

Temperate region orchid species are having a tough time of it generally, I wouldn't be comfortable chowing down on them myself. Even if a particular species is thought to be comparatively abundant at the present time.

Also when you go to a patch of wildflowers and cut a bunch of them off for personal consumption you have made it impossible for anyone else to enjoy them in that location that year.

 

I saw hundreds if not thousands, I didn't cut all of them from the same patch and would only take a few of there were 20-30+ in an area. Now that I know what they are more directly I don't plan on picking them, I just knew they were growing off of a mycelia network and I was hunting mushrooms.