VegetableAsparagus
Sweet Purple Asparagus
Purple Asparagus
Sweet Purple Asparagus is a non-GMO, open-pollinated perennial that transforms the classic spring vegetable garden staple with vibrant purple spears and remarkable sweetness. Hardy from zones 3 through 9, this cultivar produces upright shoots reaching 48 to 60 inches tall and reaches full productivity after 365 days, a patient investment that rewards with decades of harvests. What sets it apart is its tenderness and flavor, making it equally at home roasted as a dinner side or enjoyed raw in spring salads, a versatility rare in asparagus varieties.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-9
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam; Rich In Organic Matter
Preferred Temp60-75°F
Growth Stats
60 in
Height
—
Width
12 in
Spacing
365–365
Days to Harvest
PeriodPerennial
TypeBush
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-9
Size
60in H x ?in W
Growth
Perennial
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Purple asparagus crowns arrive ready to establish, offering gardeners a shortcut past the long seed-starting phase. The vibrant color alone makes these spears a showstopper on the plate, but the real draw is the combination of natural sweetness and delicate texture that makes this variety exceptional for eating raw. This is an asparagus that performs as a genuine culinary ingredient, not just a vegetable to produce, the kind of crop that turns spring harvest into an occasion.
Common Uses
Sweet Purple Asparagus excels as both a raw ingredient and a cooked vegetable, which is unusual among asparagus varieties. The sweetness and tenderness make these spears exceptional in fresh salads, where their color provides visual drama alongside their flavor contribution. When roasted or sautéed, they maintain their distinct purple hue and develop deeper, caramelized notes that complement both simple butter-and-salt preparations and more elaborate sauces.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Early Spring
First Harvest
Early To Mid-spring (Second Or Third Year After Planting)
Last Harvest
Late Spring
Care Instructions
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant one-year-old crowns in early spring as soon as soil can be worked, typically a few weeks before the last frost date. Position crowns in prepared trenches with the bud end facing upward, spacing them 12 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. Cover gradually with soil as shoots emerge through the first season, burying them deeper by midsummer to encourage root development.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting in the second year after planting, when spears have reached 6 to 8 inches tall and are still tender, they should snap cleanly when bent by hand. Cut or snap spears at or just below soil level in the morning when they're crisp and full of moisture. Continue harvesting for six to eight weeks in spring as new spears emerge, then allow the remaining growth to mature into feathery foliage that nourishes the crown for next year's productivity.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Asparagus L.
Family
Asparagaceae
Genus
Asparagus
Duration
Perennial
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (I)CAN (I)SPM (I)
History & Origin
“Sweet Purple Asparagus represents a branch of asparagus breeding that stepped away from the standard green varieties and explored what purple cultivars could offer. As a non-GMO, open-pollinated variety preserved and offered through seed companies and nurseries like True Leaf Market, it remains rooted in traditional breeding practices rather than modern hybrid development. The fact that it's available as one-year-old crowns reflects how certain heirloom and heritage asparagus varieties have been maintained and propagated by dedicated growers and seed savers who recognized that color and flavor diversity in this ancient vegetable deserved to survive.”