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A Purple carrot freshly pulled from the garden

How to Grow Purple Carrots From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

Purple carrots bring dramatic color to the garden and plate, with deep purple skin wrapped around a bright orange core. They are sweet, richly colored, and full of the same pigments that give purple foods their color. Roots reach 6 to 8 inches in about 70 days and are grown just like orange carrots. Slice one open to reveal the striking two-tone center, and eat them raw to keep that color at its best.

Growing more than one kind is easy with our carrot seeds variety pack.

This is the quick guide to Purple. For the full step-by-step on starting seeds, sowing, feeding, and troubleshooting carrots, see our complete guide to growing carrots from seed.

Quick start

Sow purple carrot seed directly a quarter inch deep in loose, stone-free soil, since carrots do not transplant well. Keep the surface moist through the 14 to 21 day germination, then thin to 2 to 3 inches apart. Water evenly for sweet, well-colored roots. Harvest the purple-skinned, orange-cored carrots at full size in about 70 days.

Best tip

Purple carrots show off best raw, since long cooking can dull or bleed their color, so slice them fresh into salads and slaws to keep that vivid purple-and-orange contrast. Grow them exactly like orange carrots in loose, evenly moist soil. A crop that matures in cool fall weather colors up deepest and tastes sweetest.

At a glance

How to Grow Purple Carrots From Seed — growing specifications at a glance
Botanical name	Daucus carota subsp. sativus
Plant type	Cool-season biennial grown as an annual
USDA zones	2 to 11 (grown as an annual)
Sun	Full sun (6+ hours); tolerates light shade
Days to maturity	about 70 days
Height	Roots 6 to 8 inches
Spacing	Thin to 2 to 3 inches apart
Water	Even and steady; about 1 inch a week

Uses

Purple carrots are at their most striking raw, sliced into salads and slaws or served as colorful crudites, where the purple skin and orange core show off. They can be roasted too, though the color softens with long cooking. Their rich pigment adds interest to any dish, and the tops are edible in the kitchen.

Frequently asked questions

How long do purple carrots take to grow?

Purple carrots mature in about 70 days from sowing, similar to standard orange types. Let them reach full size for the sweetest flavor and deepest color.

What color are purple carrots inside?

They have deep purple skin and a bright orange core, so slicing one open reveals a striking two-tone center. The contrast is part of what makes them fun to grow.

Are purple carrots sweet?

Yes, they are sweet and richly flavored, much like orange carrots, with the added color from the same pigments found in other purple fruits and vegetables. Eating them raw keeps that flavor and color at their best.

How do I keep purple carrots from losing their color?

Eat them raw or cook them only briefly, since long cooking can dull or bleed the purple pigment. Sliced fresh into salads, they hold their vivid color best.

Ready to grow your own? Purple carrots give you sweet roots with striking purple skin and an orange core. For the full step-by-step, see our complete carrot growing guide linked at the top of this page.

Purple Carrot Seeds – Non-GMO HeirloomHeirloom, non-GMOHeirloom Purple — antioxidant-rich roots with a striking hue.

Price$4.99

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Want more carrots? These value packs pair Purple with other varieties:

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Rainbow Carrot Seeds – Variety Pack, Non-GMO Heirloom10 carrot varietiesTen unique carrots in one pack, from classic orange to purple, red, yellow, and white. The easiest way to grow a whole rainbow of carrots.

Price$14.99 Sale Price$13.49

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By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.