Best Coloured Potatoes (Purple & Blue Varieties)
Coloured potatoes with purple or blue skins and flesh are becoming increasingly popular with UK gardeners. They add visual interest to meals, offer unique flavours, and grow just as easily as traditional white potatoes. Many are also heritage varieties with a long growing history.
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⭐ Recommended Products — Seed Potatoes & Planting Essentials
• Seed Potato Collection (Early, First & Second Earlies)
A mixed pack of quality seed potatoes to plant for a steady harvest from early summer through to autumn. Ideal if you want variety in size and maturity times.
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• Certified Seed Potatoes (Single Variety Packs)
Choose popular individual varieties (e.g., Maris Piper, Charlotte, King Edward) to suit your taste and growing goals — consistent results from true seed stock.
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• Potato Grow Bags / Containers
Reusable, breathable bags designed specifically for growing potatoes — great for patios, small gardens, or increasing yield in limited space.
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• Potato Fertiliser / Soil Booster
Specially formulated feed to support healthy tuber development and improve yields — apply at planting or as a top-dress during the season.
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• Potato Planting Guides & Markers
Helpful tools and guides that take you through planting depth, spacing, and care — plus reusable markers to keep track of different varieties.
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What Are Purple and Blue Potatoes?
Purple and blue potatoes get their colour from natural pigments in the skin and flesh. Depending on the variety, the colour may run just through the skin or all the way through the tuber. These potatoes can be waxy or floury and are suitable for a wide range of cooking uses.
Best Purple and Blue Potato Varieties to Grow (UK)
Vitelotte
A well-known heritage variety with deep purple skin and flesh. Vitelotte has a nutty, slightly sweet flavour and holds its colour well when cooked. Excellent for roasting, mash, and salads.
Blue Anneliese
Produces long, smooth tubers with blue skin and blue flesh. Blue Anneliese has a creamy texture and mild flavour, making it ideal for boiling, salads, and roasting.
Blue Congo
A traditional blue-fleshed potato with dark blue skin. Best suited to boiling and salads, where its colour and waxy texture really stand out.
Bleuet
An early-maturing purple potato with even colour throughout the flesh. Firm texture makes it ideal for boiling and steaming.
Shetland Black
A heritage variety from the Shetland Islands with very dark purple skin. The flesh lightens slightly when cooked and has a floury texture, making it suitable for roasting and baking.
Arran Victory
A heritage potato with blue-purple skin and pale yellow flesh. A good all-rounder that works well for roasting, boiling, and mash.
Adirondack Blue
A striking variety with deep blue skin and flesh. Performs well in salads, roasting, and mash, adding strong colour to dishes.
How to Grow Coloured Potatoes
Coloured potatoes are grown in the same way as standard potatoes:
- Plant in well-drained soil in full sun
- Chit seed potatoes before planting to encourage strong growth
- Plant 10–15 cm deep and earth up as shoots appear
- Water regularly during dry spells
- Avoid waterlogged soil to reduce rot
Most coloured varieties are first early, second early, or maincrop, depending on the cultivar.
When to Harvest Coloured Potatoes
- First earlies: around 10–12 weeks after planting
- Second earlies: around 13–15 weeks
- Maincrops: once foliage has died back naturally
Lift carefully to avoid damaging tubers, as coloured skins can mark easily.
How to Use Purple and Blue Potatoes
Coloured potatoes are ideal for:
- Salads
- Roasting
- Boiling
- Mashed potatoes
- Baking
Leaving the skins on helps retain colour and flavour during cooking.
Why Grow Coloured Potatoes?
- Adds colour and interest to meals
- Unique flavours compared to standard potatoes
- Many are traditional or heritage varieties
- Grow well in UK gardens, allotments, and containers
Choosing Coloured Potatoes for Your Garden
Growing a mix of early and maincrop coloured varieties allows you to enjoy colourful potatoes throughout the season and experiment with different textures and flavours.