Purple Sprouting

Family: Brassicaceae Brassica

Planting Schedule

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

Tender, jewel-toned sprigs emerge in a cool-season hush—deep purple heads that fade to vivid green as they unfurl.

Purple Sprouting forms a sturdy, branching crown with crisp, finely textured florets and sweet, mild flavor that shines in quick roasts, steaming, and hearty winter sautés, as well as fresh-tossed sprout salads. Grow it for a long harvest window: cut the spears and watch fresh side shoots rise again and again through the season.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 50 DaysHabit: Upright

Botanical illustration of Purple Sprouting

Location not set yet

Enter your ZIP for local crop dates

Purple Sprouting 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	May 4th	May 25th	Jul 14th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 27th	May 18th	Jul 7th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 17th	May 8th	Jun 27th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 17th	May 8th	Jun 27th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 21st	May 12th	Jul 1st – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 17th	May 8th	Jun 27th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 15th	May 6th	Jun 25th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 10th	May 1st	Jun 20th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 6th	Apr 27th	Jun 16th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 3rd	Apr 24th	Jun 13th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 28th	Apr 18th	Jun 7th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 23rd	Apr 13th	Jun 2nd – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 13th	Apr 3rd	May 23rd – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 4th	Mar 25th	May 14th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 23rd	Mar 16th	May 5th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 6th	Feb 27th	Apr 18th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 12th	Feb 2nd	Mar 24th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	50
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	45
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	30
Harden Off (days)	6

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Purple Sprouting is for the long game: those branching crowns stay sweet and crisp, so you want methods that heat fast and stop—steam, roast hot, or blanch for salad. It turns from jewel-purple to vivid green on cooking, and because it’s mild, it takes rich fats and salty accents (buttery, cheesy, or umami-heavy) without getting harsh.

Best Uses

steaming or quick-simmering for snappy florets under a squeeze of lemon
sheet-pan roasting until edges turn dark-golden while centers stay tender
tossed sprout-salad stage: raw/very lightly blanched with a slick dressing so they stay crisp

Flavor Profile

sweet, mild brassica flavor crisp-tender florets with a fine, slightly nutty bite earthy green vegetal notes that soften with heat

Kitchen Pairings

lemon olive oil Parmesan butter anchovy tahini

Frequently Asked Questions

What pests commonly attack purple sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), and how do I control them?

Watch for cabbage white caterpillars and aphids on the tight, developing heads and tender shoots. Hand-pick caterpillars early in the season and spray aphids with a strong jet of water; if pressure is high, use an insecticidal soap and repeat every 5–7 days until new growth is clear. Use a row cover over plants after transplanting to prevent butterflies from laying eggs, especially in cool but humid stretches.

How often should I water purple sprouting broccoli during its main growing phase?

Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged from transplanting through head formation; aim for about 1–1.5 inches of water per week depending on rainfall and heat. Water deeply when the top 1 inch of soil dries, and mulch after watering to prevent moisture swings that can cause loose, uneven curds. Avoid letting plants sit in soggy soil, which increases the risk of fungal problems like clubroot and damp rot.

How can I tell when purple sprouting broccoli is ready to harvest?

Harvest when the side shoots form firm, tight purple florets and are still compact—typically about 50 days from sowing/transplanting depending on your timing. Pick shoots individually as soon as they reach usable size, before florets loosen or start separating into more open buds. If the main crown has set, continue harvesting smaller side shoots over several weeks by cutting each shoot with a short stem and leaving the surrounding crown to regrow.