American Purple Top Rutabaga

Type: Open-pollinated
Packet size: 50+ seeds

Brassica napus. American Purple Top is a classic rutabaga variety producing large, round roots with creamy yellow flesh and distinctive purple coloring across the shoulders. The roots have a mild, sweet flavor that becomes especially good after exposure to cool weather. A dependable cool-season root crop that can be harvested for fresh cooking or grown for fall harvest and winter food storage.

🌱 Growing Information How to Grow American Purple Top Rutabaga from Seed

Planting Depth: ¼–½ inch
Seed Spacing: 4–6 inches
Row Spacing: 18–24 inches
Germination Time: 5–10 days
Days to Harvest: 85–100 days
Sun Requirements: Full Sun

Planting Tips:
Sow American Purple Top rutabaga seeds directly in the garden. For a fall and winter-storage crop, plant in summer approximately 10–12 weeks before the first expected fall frost. Thin seedlings to allow enough room for the roots to develop. Grow in fertile, well-drained soil and keep evenly watered throughout the growing season. Cool fall temperatures help develop the roots' sweet flavor. Harvest when roots reach a usable size, or leave them to mature for fall harvest. Rutabagas can tolerate light frost and mature roots can be stored after harvest in cool, humid conditions.

🌱 Excellent for fall gardens, roasting, soups, stews, mashing, and winter root-cellar storage.