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Post by raymondo on Apr 30, 2013 4:36:55 GMT -5
I bought some solid purple carrots today at the local organic fruit and veg store. Stunning colour, verging on black. They didn't know what variety they were since they were bought through a wholesaler in another state. The only purple carrot I've grown had an orange core. Can't remember its name. Maybe Purple Dragon?
Anyone know the names of any of the solid purple cultivars? I'm going to plant a few of the ones I bought to see if they're male sterile or not.
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Post by bunkie on Apr 30, 2013 9:47:11 GMT -5
Ray, I've been in search of a solid purple carrot since reading an article about the original carrots being purple. I contacted the author of the article and never was able to acquire any seed. The only solid purple one I've located is a hybrid from Territorial Seed... www.territorialseed.com/product/12052/carrot_seed |
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Post by richardw on Apr 30, 2013 15:05:13 GMT -5
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Post by rowan on Apr 30, 2013 15:13:58 GMT -5
'Deep Purple' is the solid purple and it is male sterile. I am trying to dehybridise it at the moment and make it open pollinated. Might take a couple more years though till it is stable.
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Post by 12540dumont on Apr 30, 2013 15:49:55 GMT -5
Well Rowan, you know where I am when you're finished. That is, if the laws don't change and we are still allowed to send seed hither and yon.  I won't give my money to Territorial. So, I'll wait. By the way, I thought Purple Dragon tasted off...soap? |
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Post by Hristo on Apr 30, 2013 19:23:44 GMT -5
Last year I tried the 'Deep Purple'. Unfortunately I had just a few seeds and only 1 or 2 grew out. None were entirely purple inside (much more colored than Purple Haze and/or Cosmic purple though). The deepest purple inside was this one: www.ebay.com/itm/BLACK-CARROT-RARE-ANATOLIAN-HEIRLOOM-200-FRESH-SEEDS-/281092557739?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41726c0babIt's quite variable for size (usually very big), shape (usually gnarly/branched), color etc., but some were very purple to the core - like the 'Purple Sun' on the link above, but without the obvious Photoshop "beautification". Edit: And the taste was not bad, but nothing close to excellent. |
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Post by ottawagardener on Apr 30, 2013 19:39:31 GMT -5
Dragon carrot has never tasted off to me... hmmm, I'll have to try it again. It's not a particularly sweet carrot.
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Post by rowan on Apr 30, 2013 22:24:52 GMT -5
I'm not much of a carrot eater, they all taste the same to me. I am just trying to breed a fully purple open pollinated one mostly for fun, but also for those who want to save their own seeds.
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Post by richardw on May 1, 2013 0:54:25 GMT -5
Good on ya rowan for giving it a go
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Post by steev on May 1, 2013 1:28:54 GMT -5
There is much to be said for doing things "just to see what happens".
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Post by ilex on May 1, 2013 3:30:37 GMT -5
Most old Spanish varieties I know of are purple. I'm working hard on finding them. Will test and let you know.
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Post by oxbowfarm on May 1, 2013 5:16:24 GMT -5
Osborne has this one but its treated seed only. Also a hybrid. I've never had a fancy color carrot that I've liked flavor-wise. Purple Dragon tastes like kerosene |
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Post by hortusbrambonii on May 1, 2013 5:37:02 GMT -5
This year I'll try 'atomic red' and I have forgotten which purple one (orange core). Wonder if they'll taste as good as the 'Nantes'...
I do like the taste of 'Belgian white', but I'd use them more for winter recipes...
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Post by raymondo on May 1, 2013 6:13:19 GMT -5
The ones I bought are solid purple all the way through so are probably 'Deep Purple'. 'Deep Purple' is the solid purple and it is male sterile. I am trying to dehybridise it at the moment and make it open pollinated. Might take a couple more years though till it is stable. If it is male sterile Rowan, how are you dehybridizing it? I'd have thought that it wouldn't produce seed on its own, being male sterile. And there's a catch. If the sterility is determined by the cytoplasmic DNA, you'll be wasting your time trying to dehybridize it I'm afraid. |
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Post by rowan on May 1, 2013 14:58:02 GMT -5
I understand Ray, I have crossed it last year with a couple of other purple heritage varieties and have been reading up on techniques to get around the DNA problem. I will be working on a couple of things that have been suggested in various breeding papers. There are back doors that breeding scientists use when they need to work some more on their own creations.
It will be fun to see if they work, and if it doesn't, I will have had fun trying.
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