Broccoli (purple sprouting) trial 2024–2025

Objectives and purpose of the trial

The focus of this trial is to assess a range of purple-sprouting broccoli, Brassica oleracea (from the family Brassicaceae that includes broccoli). This is a dual trial at RHS Bridgewater, Greater Manchester and RHS Wisley, Surrey. The last time the RHS trialled purple-sprouting broccoli was in 2012–2013. The RHS Trials team aims to compare, record and show the merits of new and established broccoli cultivars, those that perform best will be awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Purple-sprouting broccoli trial protected by nets

Close up of Brassica olearacea ‘Mendocino’ in the trial beds

Judges and criteria

Judging criteria

The following factors are all taken into consideration as part of the judging of the trial:

• Yield
• Colour

• Shape and Uniformity
• Pest and disease resistance

Suppliers to the trial

• Suttons
• Kings Seeds (EW Kings & Co Ltd)
• Plants of Distinction

• Tozer Seeds (AL Tozer)
• Dobies
• Sakata UK Ltd

List of plants in the trial

View all the purple sprouting broccoli on trial at RHS Bridgewater and RHS Wisley

• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Sibsey’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Cardinal’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Claret’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Mendocino’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Purple Heart’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Purple Rain’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Purple Sprouting’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Early Purple Sprouting’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Red Fire’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Rudolph’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Santee’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Stemia’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Summer Purple’
• Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) ‘Tyrian’

Get in touch

For more information on our RHS Plant Trials or to access older trial reports, please get in touch with our team via email at [email protected].