Purple Carrot Cosmic Purple
Daucus carota 'Cosmic Purple'
A stunning heirloom carrot that brings vibrant color to your garden and plate with its deep purple exterior and bright orange core. This eye-catching variety delivers excellent sweet flavor while providing powerful antioxidants from its rich purple pigmentation. Perfect for gardeners who want to grow something truly unique that will amaze friends and family.
Harvest
70-80d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
4–11
USDA hardiness
Difficulty
Easy to Moderate
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Purple Carrot Cosmic Purple in USDA Zone 7
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Purple Carrot Cosmic Purple · Zones 4–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | June – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | April – December |
Complete Growing Guide
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, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow Rocky. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally Dry. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed.
Harvesting
Small, dry, and ribbed with bristly hairs. The compound umbel of fruits folds inward to form a roundish shape that can be blown by the wind and roll across the ground dropping seeds.
Color: Brown/Copper. Type: Achene. Length: < 1 inch. Width: < 1 inch.
Bloom time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: Leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds are edible. The young fleshy roots can be cooked or eaten raw, the flower clusters can be french-fried to produce a carrot-flavored dish, the aromatic seed is used as a flavoring in stews, etc. The dried roasted roots are ground into a powder and are used for making coffee.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Cosmic Purple carrots store best in the refrigerator crisper drawer, unwashed and in perforated plastic bags to maintain humidity while allowing air circulation. Remove all green tops before storage to prevent moisture loss. Properly stored carrots maintain quality for 2-3 months at 32-40°F with 90-95% humidity.
For longer preservation, these carrots excel when blanched and frozen—cut into coins or sticks, blanch for 3 minutes, then freeze in portions. The purple color holds well when frozen. Dehydrating works excellently for chips and powder, though you'll lose the striking color contrast. For fermented vegetables, Cosmic Purple adds beautiful color to mixed vegetable krauts and pickles. Avoid canning as a single ingredient since carrots are low-acid vegetables requiring pressure canning, and the purple color will fade significantly with heat processing.
History & Origin
Origin: Europe, Eastern Asia and northern Africa
Advantages
- +Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Pollinators
- +Edible: Leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds are edible. The young fleshy roots can be cooked or eaten raw, the flower clusters can be french-fried to produce a carrot-flavored dish, the aromatic seed is used as a flavoring in stews, etc. The dried roasted roots are ground into a powder and are used for making coffee.
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Leaves, Sap/Juice): Low severity
- -Causes contact dermatitis
- -High maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Chives
Repels carrot fly and aphids while improving soil health
Rosemary
Strong scent deters carrot fly and other root-damaging pests
Sage
Repels carrot fly and cabbage moths through aromatic compounds
Leeks
Natural pest deterrent that doesn't compete for root space
Lettuce
Shallow roots don't compete, provides living mulch to retain soil moisture
Radishes
Break up compacted soil for carrot growth and mature quickly
Tomatoes
Deep taproot improves soil structure while different root zones reduce competition
Marigolds
Release compounds that repel nematodes and other soil-borne pests
Keep Apart
Dill
Can stunt carrot growth and attract carrot flies when mature
Parsnips
Compete for same soil nutrients and space, both are root vegetables
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathic compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #170393)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good general disease resistance, moderate carrot fly resistance
Common Pests
Carrot rust fly, wireworms, cutworms
Diseases
Alternaria leaf blight, bacterial soft rot, cavity spot