Red potatoes add a special touch of color to the garden and kitchen. We present the most beautiful red potato varieties and give tips on growing and harvesting them.
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are becoming increasingly popular, especially among hobby growers, and particularly colorful tubers are being planted with ever-growing enthusiasm. Red potatoes come in many shapes and shades of color, and have very different ripening times and cooking characteristics. They are also becoming more and more competitive with the conventional yellow varieties thanks to new breeds. We introduce you to the 10 most beautiful red potato varieties and their characteristics.
Red potato varieties at a glance
With the red potato varieties, one can distinguish between only red-skinned varieties and those with red skin and red flesh.
‘Ciclamen’: Attractive Hungarian potato variety with red skin and white flesh. The oval-round tubers are predominantly firm to floury and are ideal for dumplings, puree or soup.
‘Desiree’: Red-skinned potato from the Netherlands. The predominantly firm-boiling tubers are light yellow on the inside. 'Desiree' ripens mid-early and has a fruity, juicy taste that unfolds best as boiled and jacket potatoes.
'Franceline': French waxy potato variety from 1993 with elongated red-skinned tubers and light yellow flesh. With its aromatic taste, this medium-ripening variety is ideal as a gratin, fried or jacket potato.
‘Heiderot’: Long, oval-shaped, red-fleshed potato with an aromatic and slightly buttery taste. The completely deep red to magenta-colored tubers are firm and are ideal as fried and jacket potatoes or in a colorful potato salad.
'Laura': Popular German variety that produces potatoes with red skin and yellow flesh. The long-oval tubers ripen mid-early and are good for french fries or boiled and baked potatoes.
'Nemo': Red and yellow patterned Dutch potato variety with bright yellow flesh. The long, oval, floury tubers have a mild, fruity taste and are suitable for puree and as grilled potatoes.
‘Rote Emmalie’: Potato with magenta skin and flesh. It is predominantly waxy and shows elongated, very spicy-tasting tubers. Especially when prepared as pink gnocchi, this potato is a real eye-catcher on the plate.
‘Red Firstling’: Potato with a roundish-oval shape and a striking red skin. She is also known as 'Red Duke of York'. The predominantly waxy, yellow flesh is suitable for boiled potatoes or as a puree.
‘Rosara’: Very early maturing, red-skinned potato variety with predominantly firm, deep yellow flesh. Their taste ranges from creamy and fine to aromatic and spicy.
‘Rosemarie’: Newer red potato variety from 2012 with full pink coloring. The firm-boiling tubers are long-oval in shape and ripen early to mid-early. The creamy taste shows up well in a gratin or potato salad.
Tip: If you want to add even more color to your potato patch, discover an overview of the best varieties of purple potatoes with us.
Planting and caring for red potatoes
Red potatoes do not differ in the cultivation method from the other color variants. The best time to plant potatoes is between late March and early May, when the soil has warmed up to 8-10°C. They can be propagated indoors on a sunny windowsill at around 15 °C four weeks before planting. This shortens the cultivation period and brings the harvest earlier, which is particularly worthwhile for late potatoes.
Tip: Alternatively, you can grow your potatoes in pots on the balcony or terrace. A high-quality, nutrient-rich potting soil such as our Plantura organic tomato and vegetable soil is ideal for growing the heavily consuming nightshade family (Solanaceae).
Harvesting and preparing red potatoes
Depending on the ripening time, planting date and weather conditions, the red potato variety can be harvested between July and October before the first frost. While the foliage does not have to have died off with early potatoes, one waits for this to happen with later potato varieties. This is how the tubers and their skin fully mature and arelong shelf life. In our article "Harvesting Potatoes" you will learn how to recognize when potatoes are ready to be harvested and what you should consider when harvesting.
Depending on their cooking properties, red potatoes can be used in the same way as yellow varieties. They do not have to be specially treated or even peeled. Unless there are green and therefore inedible spots visible.
You can find a large overview of potato varieties in a wide range of colours, shapes and properties in our variety article.