Growing purple vegetables is a great way to beautify your garden while also getting the extra nutrition that these colorful vegetables provide.
Here are 10 attractive purple vegetables to plant in your garden.
Some of these veggies will fade when they’re cooked but most of them can be eaten raw to make the most of their vibrant color and nutrition. Growing your own vegetables from seed means that you can grow unusual, brightly colored varieties that you wouldn’t find in the nursery or garden center.
Why grow purple vegetables in your garden?
As well as looking great in the garden, purple varieties of vegetables are high in anthocyanins, violet / blue colored pigments that help to protect the plants from stressors like harsh sunlight and cold temperatures.
When we consume purple vegetables, the anthocyanins act as antioxidants that help to quench free radicals in the body. Anthocyanins are also found in blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, cherries, red grapes and red wine.
1. Carrots
Carrots were originally purple or yellow in color before the orange varieties that we’re familiar with appeared.
Purple carrots have similar growing requirements to regular carrots and they do best when the seeds are planted directly in the garden. Purple Haze and Cosmic Purple are dark purple on the outside and bright orange in the middle, while Black Nebula is a dark purple color and it retains its color when cooked.
2. Kale
There are many different varieties of kale including some beautiful colorful varieties that range from reddish purple to dark purple.
Red Russian kale has a purple stem with green and purple leaves or if you’re looking for dark purple leaves choose a variety like Redbor. I like to pick kale leaves when they’re young and tender to use in salads. You can also steam kale leaves or use them in stir fries.
3. Cabbage
Purple cabbages are brightly colored vegetables that are great for making a colorful salad or coleslaw with.
You can also plant ornamental cabbages which are edible but they taste bitter, so you can use the leaves as a garnish or just enjoy them as a bedding plant in the garden.
4. Cauliflower
Growing vibrant purple cauliflowers in your garden is a great way to impress your friends and they make a nice change from the regular white variety. Cauliflowers are cool-season vegetable plants and they do best when planted in fall or early winter.
5. Tomatoes
Red tomatoes are a vegetable garden staple, but there are some interesting and attractive purple varieties that you can plant to make your garden more interesting.
Purple colored tomatoes will add color and interest to your salads.
6. Beans
If you normally grow green beans, why not plant some purple beans for extra color and nutrition?
You can grow beans on a trellis to maximize the space in your garden and they make a beautiful display.
7. Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is an interesting looking vegetable that is from the same family as broccoli and cabbage.
Many people think it’s a root vegetable, but the edible part is the swollen stem that grows just above the soil. Kohlrabi can be green or purple and they both taste like a cross between turnip and radish. The leaves are also edible and can be used in salads.
8. Lettuce
There are many salad vegetables that range from purple to burgundy and they look great when planted alternately with green lettuces in the garden.
9. Peppers
Sweet bell peppers and hot peppers both come in purple varieties and they’re attractive garden plants. Peppers grow best in areas with warm temperatures and they like full sun.
10. Eggplants
Eggplants, also called Aubergines, are attractive vegetable plants that come in a range of purple shades including dark purple, light purple and striped varieties.
The anthocyanins in purple eggplants are in the skin, so leave the skin on for maximum nutrition when you’re cooking with eggplants.