Nasturtium Purple Emperor

Nasturtium Purple Emperor Seeds

(Nasturtium — Trailing / Mounding Heirloom)

Tropaeolum majus Purple Emperor is a celebrated heirloom nasturtium distinguished from all standard varieties by its extraordinary color-shifting flower — 2-inch blossoms that bloom burgundy-purple and fade to lavender and rose pink. open as dark burgundy purple then fade to shades of dusky lavender rose, giving a vintage look. Its trailing habit makes it perfect to use as ground cover or cascading out of a container on a patio or balcony.

Purple Emperor’s unusual and exciting flowers are purple-burgundy fading to vintage rose and then to lavender — stunning. It is also known as Summer Gown.
This color evolution across the lifespan of each individual flower means that Purple Emperor never looks the same from day to day. A plant in full bloom presents buds in deep wine-burgundy, open flowers in medium lavender-rose, and mature blooms in pale lavender-pink, all simultaneously, creating a naturally complex and rich color palette from a single variety. No other nasturtium delivers this kind of chromatic depth, making Purple Emperor a perennial favorite among edible flower gardeners, florists, and ornamental container designers.

With a spreading and trailing habit, this Indian Cress makes fantastic floral ground cover and will look amazing pouring over the edges of a patio pot or cascading from a balcony planter.
The variety is drought tolerant, deer resistant, rabbit resistant, good for containers, and an edible flower. For mild climates, sow in fall for winter bloom.

Tropaeolum majus is native to Peru and the Andes of South America, where it grows in well-drained mountainous conditions. Its natural adaptation to lean soils, warm days, and moderate watering translates directly into excellent performance in the Gulf garden.
In Kuwait, nasturtiums are sown in September through October for a full cool-season display from November through April — one of the few ornamental annuals that combine genuine ornamental beauty, edible utility, and reliable cool-season performance in a single easy-to-grow plant.

Variety Details

• Tropaeolum majus Purple Emperor is a half-hardy annual.
• Days to germination: 10 to 14 days.
• Optimum soil temperature for germination is 15 to 25 degrees Celsius.
• Premier Seeds Direct They typically bloom within 50 to 60 days of sowing, depending on growing conditions.
• Seeds Purple Emperor is an open-pollinated heirloom variety that will freely self-seed under favorable conditions.
• Both compact/mounding and more vigorously trailing forms of this variety exist; in containers it develops a neat trailing habit reaching 30 to 45 cm.

Key Features

• Extraordinary color-shifting blooms — deep burgundy-purple opening to lavender and vintage rose.
• Multiple tones simultaneously visible on a single plant at peak bloom.
• Fully edible — flowers and leaves both peppery and flavorful.
• Trailing and mounding compact habit, 30 to 45 cm. Drought tolerant once established.
• Deer and rabbit resistant.
• Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial pollinators.
• Thrives in poor to lean soil — rich soil reduces flowering.
• Heirloom open-pollinated — will self-seed.
• Prefers cool growing conditions — ideal for Gulf cool season.
• Excellent for containers, hanging baskets, edible gardens, and ground cover.

Plant Information

• Family: Tropaeolaceae.
• Botanical name: Tropaeolum  ajus.
• Common name: Nasturtium, Indian Cress.
• Cultivar: Purple Emperor (also known as Summer Gown).
• Type: Tender perennial grown as annual.
• Height: 30 to 45 cm.
• Spread / trailing: 30 to 45 cm.
• Flower: 5 cm across, deep burgundy-purple fading to dusky lavender and vintage rose-pink; fully edible.
• Foliage: Blue green, rounded, peltate; fully edible with peppery flavor.
• Exposure: Full sun to partial shade.
• Water: Low to moderate — drought tolerant once established.
• Soil: Lean to moderately fertile, well-drained; poor soil promotes flowering over foliage.
• pH preference: 6.0 to 7.5.
• Edible: Yes — flowers and leaves.
• Toxicity: Non-toxic to humans; generally non-toxic to pets.

Seed Germination

• Important: Nasturtium seeds require darkness to germinate — cover seeds with soil. Do not surface sow.
• Sow seeds 1 to 2 cm deep in moist, well-drained soil, since seeds require darkness for optimal germination.
• Keep uniformly moist until seedlings emerge, about 10 days after sowing.
• To speed up germination, soak seeds in warm water overnight before planting or for 4 to 8 hours before sowing.
• Keep consistently moist at 15 to 25 degrees Celsius.
• Germination takes 7 to 14 days.
• If starting indoors, use biodegradable pots to prevent root disturbance when transplanting.
• Nasturtiums dislike having their roots disturbed — sow directly in the final container or garden position wherever possible or use biodegradable pots that can be planted out whole.

Growing Tips

• Purple Emperor nasturtium prefers lean, well-draining soil, as richer soils encourage excessive foliage growth rather than flowers.
• Seeds Avoid rich soil as this encourages foliage growth rather than flowers.
• Water during dry periods but avoid waterlogging.
• Remove faded flowers regularly to extend the flowering season.
• Deadhead for optimum number of blooms and to prevent seed formation.
• Nasturtium may self-sow.
• Water regularly until established, then only during dry spells.
• Space plants 25 to 30 cm apart.
• Do not fertilize with nitrogen-rich fertilizers — this is one of the most important rules for nasturtium success.
• The plant is adapted to lean, infertile soils and will produce almost exclusively lush foliage with very few flowers if grown in rich, well-fed conditions.
• In containers, use a lean, gritty mix with minimal compost.
• Deadhead spent flowers regularly to extend the blooming season.
• Allow some flowers to mature to seed for natural self-seeding if a returning display is desired.

Culinary Uses

• Use the peppery leaves and colorful flowers to spice up salads for a peppery taste similar to rocket.
• Leaves may also be used to make pesto, and the seed pods can be pickled to create ‘poor man’s capers’.
• Prized for their sweet-spicy flavor, nasturtium blossoms are often added to salads as a zesty garnish over a citrus vinaigrette.
• A sprinkling of colorful nasturtium blossoms lends the perfect finishing touch to cold cucumber soup or fresh sorbet.
• The deep purple-rose flowers of Purple Emperor add an extraordinary visual dimension to edible presentations — far more dramatic than the standard orange and yellow nasturtium flowers commonly available.

Gulf Planting Season

• Sow directly in final containers or garden beds: September through November.
• Expected flowering: November through April, depending on sowing time and conditions.
• Note: For mild climates and winter bloom, fall sowing is specifically recommended. Kuwait’s cool season (October through April) is ideal for nasturtium growth and flowering.
• Plants will decline as temperatures rise consistently above 30 degrees Celsius.
• Treat as a strictly cool-season annual in Kuwait.

Garden and Floral Uses

• Purple Emperor nasturtium is a perfect choice for flower beds, containers, and hanging baskets, combining beauty with functionality.
• It thrives in full sun but will tolerate partial shade in hot climates.
• The extraordinary color range — from deep burgundy through lavender to vintage rose — makes Purple Emperor ideal for sophisticated and unusual planting combinations.
• In the Gulf garden it is outstanding in large containers and patio pots where the trailing habit can cascade over the edges, combining beautifully with silver-foliage companions, deep blue violas, and white alyssum for dramatic cool-season displays.
• The edible flowers make it equally at home in kitchen gardens and ornamental vegetable beds, where the multi-tonal blooms bring visual interest that extends well beyond any standard edible flower variety.