Cherokee Purple

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Cherokee Purple to a garden.

Velvety, smoky-sweet flesh with a rich, wine-dark tang—Cherokee Purple delivers a dramatic, dusky flavor that feels almost perfumed as it ripens.

The fruit are large and irregularly ribbed, with a satin-smooth skin that turns from green to deep purple-brown at the shoulders, then opens to a juicy, seed-studded interior that’s tender yet substantial. Ideal for bold slices on the plate, as well as for thick, colorful sauces that showcase its complex, old-world character.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 85 DaysHabit: Indeterminate

Botanical illustration of Cherokee Purple

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Cherokee Purple Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Apr 6th	Jul 20th	Oct 13th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 3rd – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 3rd – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 31st	Jul 14th	Oct 7th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 3rd – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 25th	Jul 8th	Oct 1st – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 20th	Jul 3rd	Sep 26th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 16th	Jun 29th	Sep 22nd – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 13th	Jun 26th	Sep 19th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 7th	Jun 20th	Sep 13th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 2nd	Jun 15th	Sep 8th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 20th	Jun 5th	Aug 29th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 11th	May 27th	Aug 20th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 2nd	May 18th	Aug 11th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 16th	May 1st	Jul 25th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 22nd	Apr 6th	Jun 30th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	85
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Indeterminate
Support Needed	Cage
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Cherokee Purple gives you that rare heirloom combo: velvety flesh that slices cleanly, plus a smoky-sweet tang that tastes like it’s been gently roasted even when it’s raw. It’s built for plates and reductions—reduce it and the wine-dark acids turn glossy, clinging, and complex rather than watery.

Best Uses

thick slice tomato plates (salt, oil, and a quick crack of pepper—no hiding)
old-world, colorful sauces that reduce until winey and clingy
grilled or seared tomato halves for an extra smoky top-note
sandwich slicing where the flesh stays intact instead of collapsing

Flavor Profile

smoky-sweet, dusky fruitiness wine-dark tang with a faint, charred edge tender-yet-meaty slices juicy, seed-studded interior with a satin finish

Kitchen Pairings

garlic olive oil aged cheddar balsamic vinegar charred corn mozzarella

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease most commonly affects Solanum tuberosum (Cherokee Purple), and what should I do?

Late blight and early blight are common potato problems, showing up as dark, spreading leaf spots (often late blight can rapidly collapse foliage). Remove and destroy infected leaves, improve airflow between plants, and avoid wetting foliage when watering. If you need control beyond sanitation, use a labeled potato fungicide and start at first signs or preventively during humid, cool periods—follow the product’s interval and coverage directions closely.

How often should I water Cherokee Purple potatoes during the main growing phase?

After plants emerge, keep the soil consistently evenly moist but not soggy, aiming for roughly 1 inch of water per week in total (rain + irrigation), with more frequent lighter watering during hot spells. Potatoes form tubers underground, so let the top few centimeters dry slightly between waterings but don’t allow the root zone to swing dry for long. A helpful check is that the soil should hold together when squeezed but not drip water.

How do I tell when Cherokee Purple potatoes are ready to harvest at about 85 days?

Harvest when plants naturally start to yellow and die back, typically around 85 days for full maturity. Gently dig one test tuber near the edge of the row—if the skin holds firm when rubbed and won’t easily scrape off, the crop is ready. Cure harvested tubers in a dark, cool, humid area for about 1–2 weeks to toughen skins before storing.