Purple Sprouting Broccoli 'Early Purple Sprouting'
Brassica oleracea var. italica 'Early Purple Sprouting'
A stunning heirloom variety that produces abundant purple flower heads over an extended harvest period. Unlike regular broccoli, this cold-hardy gem overwinters and provides fresh spears when little else is growing in the garden. The purple heads turn green when cooked and offer a sweet, nutty flavor that's considered superior to regular broccoli.
Harvest
220-240d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
6–9
USDA hardiness
Height
10-24 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Purple Sprouting Broccoli 'Early Purple Sprouting' in USDA Zone 7
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Purple Sprouting Broccoli 'Early Purple Sprouting' · Zones 6–9
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | December – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | December – October |
| Zone 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | December – November |
| Zone 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | November – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | November – November |
| Zone 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | October – December |
| Zone 9 | January – January | February – March | February – March | September – December |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | January – March | September – December |
| Zone 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | December – September |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | December – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | January – February | August – December |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | January – February | August – December |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | January – February | August – December |
Succession Planting
Purple Sprouting Broccoli 'Early Purple Sprouting' doesn't suit tight succession planting — at 220–240 days to harvest, you're committing a bed from a spring or summer sow all the way through to fall or winter. One planting per season is the practical move. If you want a longer harvest window, pair this variety with a later-maturing PSB like 'Late Purple Sprouting', sown at the same time; that spreads pickings across roughly 4–6 weeks without staggering sow dates.
In zone 7, start seeds indoors in February–March and transplant in April–May, or direct sow March–May into a bed that'll be clear of summer crops by fall. Plants need to reach a decent size before hard frost, but they also need that cold exposure — several weeks around 50°F — to trigger sprouting. A small plant that hits December without much top growth won't have the reserves to produce well come November the following year, so don't let a slow start slide.
Complete Growing Guide
Early Purple Sprouting requires a late spring or summer sowing (May-July) to mature in late winter, so plan backward from your first expected frost date. This cultivar's 220-240 day maturity demands cooler temperatures to prevent premature bolting—avoid early sowings that would expose plants to summer heat. Plant in rich, well-draining soil with consistent moisture and pH 6.0-7.5 to minimize clubroot, a persistent Brassica threat in acidic soils. The extended harvest window means providing sturdy staking in windy sites, as tall growth (10-24 inches) can become top-heavy when laden with spears. Unlike conventional broccoli, this variety benefits from strategic spacing at 18-24 inches apart to improve air circulation and reduce fungal issues during damp winters. A practical edge: remove lower leaves progressively as spears develop, improving air flow around the crown and encouraging longer side-shoot production throughout the season.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 10 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed, Stem Cutting. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Harvest Early Purple Sprouting when the central head reaches two to four inches in diameter and the individual florets are still tightly clustered and firm to the touch, displaying their characteristic deep purple color before any yellowing occurs. Unlike single-harvest broccoli varieties, this cultivar produces successive side shoots after the main head is cut, extending your harvest over several weeks or months. For best results, pick heads in the morning after frost has melted, as the cold intensifies their sweetness and tenderness. Always cut with at least six inches of stem attached to encourage additional sprouting from leaf axils below the cut.
The fruits dry and split when ripe.
Color: Brown/Copper, Green. Type: Siliqua. Length: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The foliage is edible raw or cooked but when cooked can emit an unpleasant odor.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Purple Sprouting Broccoli 'Early Purple Sprouting' stores best unwashed in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper drawer, maintaining quality for 5-7 days. Unlike regular broccoli, the stems remain tender longer, extending usability.
For longer preservation, blanch spears in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, shock in ice water, drain thoroughly, and freeze in airtight containers for up to 10 months. The purple color will fade during blanching but flavor remains excellent.
Dehydrating works exceptionally well with this variety's sturdy stems. Slice stems into coins and florets into uniform pieces, dehydrate at 135°F for 8-12 hours until crisp. Store in airtight containers for up to a year – perfect for adding to soups and stews.
Fermenting offers another preservation method: chop roughly, salt at 2% by weight, pack in jars, and ferment 3-7 days at room temperature. The resulting product adds probiotics and tangy flavor to winter meals while retaining most nutrients.
History & Origin
Purple sprouting broccoli emerged from traditional Italian and European horticultural practices, where gardeners selectively cultivated purple-heading variants of Brassica oleracea var. italica over centuries. The 'Early Purple Sprouting' cultivar represents a modern refinement of these heritage types, though specific breeder attribution and introduction year remain poorly documented in readily available sources. This variety likely developed through the seed-saving and selection work of traditional European seedsmen or early twentieth-century breeding programs, with commercial introduction occurring through heritage and specialty seed companies rather than institutional breeding efforts. The cultivar's cold-hardiness and extended winter productivity reflect traits valued in European gardening traditions, particularly in Britain where purple sprouting varieties gained renewed popularity as part of the heirloom vegetable revival movement beginning in the late twentieth century.
Origin: W. Europe
Advantages
- +Produces abundant purple spears over extended harvest period for weeks
- +Overwinters reliably to provide fresh greens during winter dormancy
- +Sweet nutty flavor superior to regular broccoli with less bitterness
- +Cold-hardy heirloom variety thrives in cool season conditions
- +Stunning purple heads add ornamental value to vegetable garden
Considerations
- -Requires 220-240 days for maturity making season planning critical
- -Highly susceptible to multiple Brassica diseases including clubroot and downy mildew
- -Vulnerable to cabbage worms aphids and flea beetles requiring vigilance
- -Demands moderate growing skill and careful soil management for success
Companion Plants
Dill and nasturtiums do the most work here — dill draws in parasitic wasps that target imported cabbageworm (Pieris rapae), and nasturtiums act as a trap crop for aphids, pulling them off the broccoli onto stems you can pinch out and bin. Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) add some disruption for cabbage root fly. The real sleeper benefit in our zone 7 Georgia garden is underplanting with lettuce or spinach: their shallow roots sit well above broccoli's, and the low canopy holds soil moisture through the dry spells that hit between January rains. Keep tomatoes and pole beans on the other side of the garden — tomatoes carry overlapping disease pressure, and pole beans are thought to suppress brassica growth through root-zone competition, though the research is thin on exactly why.
Plant Together
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control cabbage worms and aphids
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, protecting broccoli from pest damage
Marigold
Repels cabbage moths and other brassica pests with strong scent compounds
Onions
Repel cabbage root fly and aphids while not competing for nutrients
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and efficient space use without competing for nutrients
Spinach
Grows in broccoli's shade and helps suppress weeds around the base
Celery
Repels cabbage white butterflies and other brassica pests
Chamomile
Attracts beneficial insects and may improve broccoli flavor and growth
Keep Apart
Tomatoes
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt broccoli growth through root competition
Strawberries
Both plants are heavy feeders that compete for nutrients, reducing yields
Pole Beans
Can shade broccoli excessively and compete for space and nutrients
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #747447)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good resistance to cold weather diseases, moderate clubroot tolerance
Common Pests
Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, cabbage root fly
Diseases
Clubroot, downy mildew, black rot, white rust
Troubleshooting Purple Sprouting Broccoli 'Early Purple Sprouting'
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Stunted plants with yellowing leaves, wilting despite adequate water, and swollen or distorted roots when you pull one up
Likely Causes
- Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) — a soil-borne pathogen that persists for 20+ years in acidic soil
- Planting brassicas in the same bed year after year
What to Do
- 1.Pull and bag the affected plants — do not compost them
- 2.Raise soil pH to 7.0–7.2 with agricultural lime before next season; clubroot struggles above pH 7.0
- 3.Rotate out of brassicas for at least 4 years in that bed
Gray or bluish-white fuzzy sporulation on the undersides of leaves, with corresponding yellow patches on top, appearing during cool wet stretches
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Peronospora parasitica) — thrives when temperatures sit between 45–65°F and humidity is high
- Dense planting that traps moisture around foliage
What to Do
- 1.Strip and trash affected leaves; open up airflow by thinning to the full 18–24 inch spacing
- 2.Water at the base only — overhead irrigation in cool weather is asking for this problem
- 3.Apply a copper-based fungicide on a 7-day interval if the infection is spreading fast
V-shaped yellow lesions working inward from leaf edges, veins turning black or brown, plant looking generally ragged by mid-season
Likely Causes
- Black rot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris) — a bacterial disease that enters through leaf margins and moves through the vascular system
- Starting with contaminated seed or transplants
What to Do
- 1.Remove and bag infected leaves immediately; the bacteria spread through water splash and on tools
- 2.Sanitize pruners with a 10% bleach solution between plants
- 3.Source hot-water-treated seed next season — NC State Extension recommends this as the primary prevention for black rot in brassicas
Frequently Asked Questions
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.