Variety field guide
What to expect from Purple Vienna Kohlrabi
Purple Vienna Kohlrabi is a biennial kohlrabi selection grown for leaves or swollen stems, repeated harvest, cool weather, and seed saving.
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Purple Vienna kohlrabi is a classic heirloom variety prized for its smooth purple bulbs, crisp white flesh, and mild, sweet flavor. These Kohlrabi Seeds - Purple Vienna Kohlrabi produce attractive plants that are both productive and eye-catching in the garden, offering tender bulbs that are excellent for fresh eating, slaws, roasting, and light cooking. For gardeners looking for a cool-season crop that combines beauty, crunch, and dependable performance, this variety is a rewarding favorite.
Minimum seeds per packet: 300 seeds.
About Purple Vienna Kohlrabi
Purple Vienna Kohlrabi is a biennial selection of kohlrabi, with an upright/erect habit and an expected height or spread of 7–12 in. It is best suited to leaves or swollen stems, repeated harvest, cool weather, and seed saving. Notable traits include purple coloring; harvest outer leaves repeatedly or lift kohlrabi at the intended stem size; mild to robust brassica flavor that improves with careful timing.
When growing Purple Vienna Kohlrabi, judge the whole planting for trueness to type instead of selecting conclusions from one unusually large or early plant.
History and provenance
Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, and kohlrabi are distinct crop groups within Brassica oleracea. Generations of selection emphasized different plant organs: flower buds, heads, leaves, side buds, or swollen stems. Their shared species identity is especially important in seed-saving isolation. Purple Vienna Kohlrabi is part of the species Brassica oleracea, one of the most historically significant and widely diversified crop species in agriculture. This single species gave rise to an entire group of vegetables-including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts-through centuries of selective breeding. Its origins trace back to wild coastal plants along the Mediterranean, where early forms were valued for their hardy nature and adaptability. Over time, farmers across Europe began selecting for specific traits, leading to the development of distinct cultivated forms, including kohlrabi. Kohlrabi itself represents a unique direction in this long history of selection. Instead of focusing on leaves, flowers, or roots, growers selected for a swollen stem that develops just above the soil. This transformation is believed to have taken place in Northern and Central Europe, where cooler climates favored crops that could grow quickly and reliably in shorter seasons.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Brassica oleracea L. Gongylodes Group |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Biennial |
| Maturity | 50-59 Days |
| Germination | 5-10 Days at 50–65 °F |
| Seed depth | 1/4 in |
| Plant height / spread | 7–12 in |
| Growth habit | Upright/Erect |
| Spacing | 6 in between plants; 18 in between rows |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Soil | Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5 |
| Water | Moderate |
| Support | No-Support |
Starting Purple Vienna Kohlrabi from seed
Sow 1/4 in deep and keep the seed zone evenly moist. Expect emergence in 5-10 Days when the seed-zone temperature is near 50–65 °F. Germination preparation: Start in clean seed-starting mix when season length requires it, then transplant at a sturdy but not root-bound stage. Light requirement: Cover evenly to 1/4 in. Soaking: None required. Stratification: None required. Scarification: None required.
Planting and care
Plant during spring/Fall and provide full sun. Space plants 6 in apart with 18 in between rows. Use loamy with a pH near 6.0–6.5, and follow a moderate watering plan. Support requirement: No-Support. Frost response: Semi-Hardy. Good container fit with drainage, even moisture, and the listed spacing
Harvest and use
Approximately 50-59 Days, from direct sowing or transplanting to the listed market harvest stage. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date. Harvest: Harvest outer leaves repeatedly or lift kohlrabi at the intended stem size. Uses: Leaves or swollen stems, repeated harvest, cool weather, and seed saving. Flavor: mild to robust brassica flavor that improves with careful timing. Seed saving: Insect-pollinated Brassica oleracea. Best uses include leaves or swollen stems, repeated harvest, cool weather, and seed saving. Flavor and eating quality: mild to robust brassica flavor that improves with careful timing.
Saving seed
Select several healthy, true-to-type Purple Vienna Kohlrabi plants that match the expected upright/erect habit and overall plant form. Avoid saving seed only from the earliest or largest individual unless that is your deliberate selection goal. Pollination system: Insect-pollinated Brassica oleracea. Crop groups within Brassica oleracea can cross with one another. Separate compatible varieties that may flower together, or use cages, barriers, hand pollination, or another documented control appropriate to the crop. Purple Vienna Kohlrabi is a biennial. Seed production may require overwintering, vernalization, or more than one growing season, depending on climate and crop biology. Clean the seed carefully, dry it thoroughly away from direct heat, label the lot with variety and year, and store it cool, dark, and dry. Test germination before an important planting or distribution season.
Common problems
Common concerns: Flea beetles, imported cabbageworm, cabbage loopers, aphids, slugs, root maggots, and clubroot risk where the pathogen is present. Management: Use rotation, insect netting before pests arrive, regular leaf inspection, sanitation, and well-drained soil. Do not plant the same brassica family repeatedly in one bed. Diagnosis note: Similar symptoms can have different causes. Compare plants of the same age, record weather and irrigation, and use local Extension or diagnostic support before applying a control.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions - Purple Vienna Kohlrabi
When is Purple Vienna Kohlrabi ready? Use 50-59 Days. Approximately 50-59 Days, from direct sowing or transplanting to the listed market harvest stage. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date.
How long does germination take? Expect 5-10 Days at about 50–65 °F. Cooler, hotter, crusted, saturated, or dry seedbeds can slow emergence.
How large does it grow? Expect about 7–12 in with an upright/erect habit. Space plants 6 in apart and rows 18 in apart. Support: No-Support.
Can it grow in a container? Good container fit with drainage, even moisture, and the listed spacing Use a container with drainage and enough volume to maintain the listed spacing and steady moisture.
Can I save seed? Insect-pollinated Brassica oleracea. Keep compatible varieties isolated and allow selected plants to reach full seed maturity.
