Key Features
- Produces striking purple and deep burgundy kale foliage.
- Heirloom, non-GMO seed choice for colorful home gardens.
- Attractive leaves add texture and rich color to vegetable beds and borders.
- Suitable for containers, raised beds, kitchen gardens, and edible landscapes.
- Performs best in cool weather with fertile, well-drained soil.
Growing Benefits
- Adds vibrant purple color to the home vegetable garden.
- Provides attractive leafy greens for fresh and cooked dishes.
- Compact growth makes it practical for containers and smaller garden spaces.
- Combines ornamental appeal with the usefulness of an edible leafy crop.
- A distinctive choice for gardeners growing colorful heirloom vegetables.
Seed Specifications
- Common Name: Purple Kale
- Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. acephala
- Plant Type: Cool-season biennial, commonly grown as an annual
- Foliage: Curled to frilled leaves
- Leaf Color: Purple to deep burgundy
- Growth Habit: Upright leafy rosette
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Fertile, loose, well-drained soil
- Water: Regular and consistent
- Germination Time: Approximately 5–10 days under favorable conditions
- Sowing Depth: Approximately ¼ inch
- Spacing: Approximately 12–18 inches between plants
- Growing Zones: Generally suited to USDA Zones 2–11 as a cool-season crop
- Maturity: Approximately 50–80 days, depending on variety and growing conditions
- Uses: Fresh greens, salads, sautés, soups, smoothies, containers, raised beds, borders, and edible gardens
Growing Tips
- Sow seeds directly outdoors during cool weather or start indoors several weeks before transplanting.
- Cover seeds lightly with fine soil and keep the growing medium evenly moist.
- Choose a location with full sun to partial shade.
- Provide fertile soil enriched with organic matter.
- Thin seedlings to give mature plants adequate room for foliage development.
- Harvest outer leaves regularly while leaving the central growing point intact.
Seed Storage
Store unused seeds in a cool, dry, dark location. Keep them sealed in their original packet or an airtight container away from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight.
Unique Facts About Seeds
- Purple kale belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which also includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
- Purple and burgundy foliage gets its color from naturally occurring plant pigments.
- Cool temperatures can enhance the color and tenderness of many kale varieties.
- Kale can provide both edible foliage and ornamental color in mixed garden plantings.