Purple is a color that has long been a symbol of royalty, also suggesting richness and elegance.
Plants with purple flowers and green leaves provide a stunning addition to any garden.
They are available in many shade variations, from graceful lavender to dark and rich violet.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
They come inspring bulbs, fall-blooming wildflowers,ground covers, climbing plants, and more.
Here are our favorite purple flowers, with pictures, that add beautiful hues to the garden.
It is known for its long blooming period from May through June, making it a valuable landscape plant.
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Early spring is the best time to cut plants back to encourage fresh new growth.
It does well in dry conditions, but it flowers best if it gets regular moisture.
(It also comes in pink, mauve, red, and white, depending on the cultivar.
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)Lamiumplantsdon’t tolerate foot traffic, so they should be situated out of the way.
Leaves also will easily scorch, so it’s best to keep the plants away from direct sun.
Allium
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Alliums (Alliumspp.)
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are a welcome addition to the landscape, not only for their color but also for their globular shape.
The flower head is made of clusters of individual florets that create a full and lush round shape.
Like other spring-flowering bulbs, they need to beplanted in the fall.
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Heights range from 2 to 5 feet, depending on the variety.
Flowering occurs in the late spring to early summer.
Petunias are commonly used in hanging baskets, in window boxes, and as bedding plants.
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Tip
Try panting the same flower in various purple shades to add interest to the garden.
Incorporate plants with purple foliage to add texture.
Chrysanthemum
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Chrysanthemums or mums (Chrysanthemumspp.)
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are well-loved garden flowers often purchased as annuals to display in containers.
But mums do beautifully asperennials, too.
Azalea
Azaleas (Rhododendronspp.)
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are gorgeous evergreen shrubs with spring blooms that light up the garden with their delicate shapes and vibrant hues.
They bloom well in partial shade to full sun, making them a versatile ornamental plant.
There are some compact varieties, while some older heirlooms get very large.
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Columbine
Columbine plants (Aquilegia vulgaris) have delicate flowers that appear in April and May.A.
vulgarisand its cultivars mature at about 1 to 3 feet tall.
They work well in cottage gardens and rock gardens.
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Although this plant loves the sun, it does not like excess heat.
Add a layer of mulch around the plant to keep the roots cool and moist.
Larkspur
True larkspurs (Consolida ajacis) are annual flowers that are tough and hardy.
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They grow quickly from seed, blooming in spring and summer.
These annuals may self-seed freely, producing plants year after year.
But be aware that larkspurs are toxic, so avoid planting them where kids or pets might eat them.
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Lobelia
Lobelia (Lobelia erinus) blooms from summer through the first frost.
There are numerous varieties of lobelia plants, but the cultivars providing trailing blue/purple flowers are usuallyL.
erinus.Lobelia flowers have five petals, and some have white eyes.
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You don’t need todeadheadthem, because they drop the spent flowers on their own.
If they suffer from heat, revive the plants by cutting them back and then providing regular water.
This clematis has pretty and profuse flowers with four velvety petals.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
The vines are best trained to climb on trellises, arbors, walls, and fences.
A trick to success with clematis vines is growing the plants in sunlight but keeping the roots cool.
Dahlia
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Dahlias (Dahliaspp.)
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Heliotrope
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Heliotrope (Heliotropiumspp.)
is a shrub-like plant with clusters of fragrant blooms, growing 1 to 4 feet high.
These plants begin blooming in summer and continue through the first frost.
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Maintaining even soil moisture is key to their growth.
They will wither away in either soil that is too dry or too soggy.
Moreover, these plants are toxic, so keep them away from kids and pets.
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Crocus
Harbingers of spring, crocuses (Crocusspp.)
and other bulb plants are welcome flowering visitors to gardens in March and April.
Looking like blades of grass, the foliage is marked down the middle with a light stripe.
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confirm your crocuses aren’t sitting in soggy soil, which can cause them to rot.
Verbena
TheVerbenagenus includes both annual and perennial species, many of which produce purple flowers.
The flowers are tiny and fragrant, creating saucer-shaped clusters that can span 3 inches.
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The plant itself is airy, ethereal, and tends to sprawl.
Black Knight Delphinium
Delphiniumspecies grow as tall as 8 feet and are often featured in cottage gardens.
The blooms appear in clusters along the stalk in June to July, sometimes re-blooming in the fall.
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It blooms through most of the summer and fall.
This perennial demands soil that drains sharply, so ensure that it’s not sitting in soggy soil.
They produce showy bell-shaped flowers in the spring and summer.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
Theseevergreen shrubsdont actually need fertile soil to grow well; rather, they prefer fairly low-nutrient soil.
They are hardy shrubs, but they do like even soil moisture.
Good drainage is also important, because soggy soil can kill them.
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This bush is invasive, so consider growing newer varieties with sterile flowers that don’t spread as aggressively.
Bougainvillea
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Bougainvilleais a genus of tropical vines.
These showy plants can act as ground covers if theyre left free to grow.
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Or they can easily be trained to grow on a support, such as a trellis or fence.
The foliage is evergreen in tropical areas.
Their large, brightly colored blooms appear seasonally.
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These vines do have thorns, so take care when working with them.
The blooms are known to have a strong fragrance.
These shrubs can flower from spring to fall, and deadheading can help to encourage further blooming.
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
But be careful of the thorns on these shrubs.
Its blooms, which stretch around 2.5 inches across, appear from late spring all the way until fall.
They start out as a vivid purple color and then fade to a mauve-gray.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
In their centers, they have bright gold stamens.
They also feature a strong orange-like fragrance.
Deadheading is ideal to promote repeat-blooming.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It only reaches around 2 to 4 feet tall and wide.
It features aromatic foliage, and in the late summer, the flowers appear.
The small, blue-violet flowers are said to look like clouds of blue mist on the plant.
The Spruce / Claire Cohen Bates
This shrub needs sharp soil drainage, as it is particularly intolerant to soggy soil.
Winter Heath
Winter heaths (Ericaspp.)
are small evergreen shrubs with dense foliage and a mounding growth habit.
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Like heather, they also look best when planted en masse for maximum impact.
Their flowering time depends on location and variety.
Prune as needed just after the shrubs are done flowering.
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Lilac
Lilac bushes (Syringa vulgaris) are popular plants with purple flowers.
These deciduous shrubs bloom in the mid-to late spring with branching clusters of tiny flowers.
The flowers have an exceptionally sweet fragrance.
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The foliage ranges from blue-green to gray-green.
These shrubs are fairly low-maintenance once established.
Prune to clean up growth just after flowering is finished.
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Newer varieties are available that perform well in warmer climates.
Heather
Many species of heather shrubs (Callunaspp.)
feature dainty purple flowers along long stems that appear from summer to fall.
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see to it to give your heather plants consistent moisture, but ensure that the soil has good drainage.
Prune them as needed in the early spring before new growth starts.
Hydrangea
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Hydrangeas (Hydrangeaspp.)
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long have been popular garden plants for their flowers that come inmany different colors, including purple.
Some varieties have large, round flower clusters while others have smaller, flatter flowers.
They generally bloom from mid-summer to fall.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
Water hydrangeas at least weekly unless youve had rainfall, but double-check theyre not sitting in soggy soil.
Note that soil pH affects bloom color.
Theyre low-maintenance, and they dont require pruning or deadheading to look their best.
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They can grow along the ground or up on a support structure.
Their colorful trumpet-shaped flowers appear in the summer and fall.
Be sure to water weekly unless youve had rainfall.
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Note that morning glory can be invasive in some areas.
It bears fragrant purple flowers on drooping stems in the spring.
Narrow, smooth seed pods follow the flowers.
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Lavender
Lavender (Lavandulaspp.)
is an herb thats popular not only for its fragrance but also for its purple flowers.
The tiny clusters of flowers appear in the summertime on upright spikes.
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The aromatic foliage is a gray-green color.
verify to situate your lavender plant in a spot that gets full sun and has well-drained soil.
In an optimal growing site, the plant needs relatively little care.
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Purple Coneflower
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a particularly showy plant.
It has an upright growth habit, reaching around 2 to 5 feet high.
And in the summer,daisy-like flowerswith a spiny center cone bloom.
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The flowers can stretch up to 5 inches across.
The stiff stems also bear dark green foliage.
This plant will often self-seed if the spent flower heads are left in place.
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If you wish to control its spread, remove the spent blooms.
These flowers feature blooms made of two types of petals.
The outer petals droop downward while the smaller inner petals stand upright.
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This gives the whole flower an interesting shape.
Irises often attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Deadhead spent blooms, and trim back the foliage once frost arrives in the fall.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
Pansy
Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana) are a popular but short-lived garden plant.
Outside of their hardiness zones, theyre often grown as annuals.
They prefer cool weather andtolerate frosts.
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Monkshood is sometimes also called wolfsbane, likely because it was once used as a poison to kill wolves.
Note that monkshood is toxic if ingested.
They grow from a hard, nut-like tuber and the flowers naturalize readily in loamy, well-drained soil.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Grape Hyacinth
Grape hyacinths (Muscarispp.)
are a spring blooming bulb that provide gorgeous color in the garden.
armeniacumhas deep violet blue flowers.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Two great grape hyacinths to try for purple shades areM.
latifolium(a bicolor with periwinkle and plum flowers) andM.
latifolium’Purple Rain' (which has light lavender purple flowers).
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Wood’s Purple Aster
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Asters (Symphyotrichumspp.
), also known as Michaelmas daisies, bloom for weeks in early autumn.
The most commonly grown asters in North America areNew England asters.
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There are a number of purple asters, but one of the most reliable isSymphyotrichum’Wood’s Purple'.
Dutch Hyacinth
Dutch hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) are reliably fragrant, colorful spring bloomers.
These beloved flowers are grown all over the temperate world.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
One cut flower will perfume an entire room.
The best deep purple varieties are ‘Peter Stuyvesant’, ‘Purple Sensation’, and ‘Atlantic’.
They reseed readily but can also be planted from seed in late fall or early to mid spring.
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Bachelor’s button comes in awide range of colors, including purple.
Catmint
The Spruce / LetAcia Almeida
Flowering catmint (Nepetaspp.)
has tiny pale purple flowers that grow on tall spikes from rounded clumps of grey-green leaves.
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Cats love the minty-smelling leaves andhummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators love the nectar-rich flowers.
There are a number of cultivars that vary in height, but most have light blue and purple flowers.
They come in deep solid colors and lovely bicolors and bloom from late summer until after frost.
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Sweet William
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
There are over 300 varieties ofDianthus.
Trim spent flowers to encourage a second round of buds.
Dianthus come in a range of hues including bicolors in magenta and light purple.
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It grows very well on slopes and in rock gardens.
They do need some air circulation to avoidpowdery mildew, so give them some room and divide frequently.
Some of the best purple cultivars include ‘Blue Boy’, ‘Blue Paradise’, and ‘Amethyst’.
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The older heirlooms have smaller but vigorous flowers, while newer hybrids have larger, frilly blooms.
Divide frequently to keep blooms abundant.
Some stunning purple cultivars include ‘Dracula’s Shadow’, ‘Titan’s Glory’, and ‘Superstition’.
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Cranesbill Geranium
Despite the similar name, perennial cranesbill geraniums (Geraniumspp.)
look very different from annual geraniums.
The best purple cultivars include ‘Orion’, ‘Raven’, ‘Rozanne’, and ‘Johnson’s Blue’.
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Trim the first round of spent flowers to encourage new growth.
Mr. Fokker Anemone
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Anemoneis a genus that includes a wide variety of flowers.
Of themany types, one loved for its deep purple-blue tones isAnemone coronaria’Mr.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
This spring bloomer provides dynamic color in the garden and attracts butterflies.
Million Bells
Million bells (Calibrachoaspp.)
is a trailing flowering plant that is popular for use in container gardens.
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Tulip
Who doesn’t love tulips (Tulipaspp.)?
Their graceful form andvast palette of colorsare such a beautiful balm in spring.
Some are annual, while some are perennial, so do some research before choosing your bulbs.
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It may spread quickly but is easily controlled by simply pulling it.
It emerges very early in spring, making it a welcome harbinger of the season.
These small colorful flowers are useful for edging and in rock gardens.
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English Bluebell
English bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are a quintessential fairy tale flower.
They multiply where they’re planted and are a reliable spring bloomer.
They’re not as vigorous as Spanish bluebells, but they’re also not as invasive.
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Their tall spikes of graceful flowers in a rainbow of colors make them popular forfloral arrangements.
Balloon Flower
The balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) is in theCampanulafamily.
Before the flower buds open they form a delightful round shape that looks like a balloon.
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They bloom in summer and attract many pollinators including bees and butterflies.
Woodland Phlox
Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) provides delicate colors in the spring garden.
These hardy perennials increase each year and divide easily.
‘Chatahoochee’ is a new cultivar with pale blue flowers and reddish-purple centers.
Purple varieties include ‘Purple Prince’, ‘Double Violet Queen’, and ‘Lavender Gem’.
They bloom in spring and summer, depending on the variety.
They are deer resistant and attractive to pollinators.
Some great purple varieties of lupine include ‘Blacksmith’, ‘Russell Blue Shades’, and ‘Masterpiece’.
They come in a wide range of colors including pink, white, blue, and purple.
Hollyhock
Tall, old-fashioned hollyhocks (Alceaspp.)
are lovely at the back of the garden bed or against a fence.
They bloom for weeks in summer and provide plenty of seeds for replanting.
Hollyhocks are biennial, so plant every year to keep the blooms going.
Purple varieties include ‘Queeny Purple’, ‘Purple Rain’, and ‘Creme de Cassis’.
Dark purple shades include ‘Blacknight’ and ‘Enigmatic Twilight’.
Cosmo
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
Cosmos (Cosmosspp.)
are flowering annuals that love hot conditions and full sun.
They come in a variety of colors, including purple.
Cosmos resemble daisies and attract bees, butterflies, and birds to your yard.
you’re able to grow these easy-going plants almost anywhere.
Note that cosmos can be invasive in some regions.
Lily of the Nile
Photo by Alex Tihonov / Getty Images
Lily of the Nile (Agapanthusspp.
It comes in blue, white, and purple flowers that have a funnel shape.
Once it’s established, lily of the Nile is drought-tolerant.
They love well-drained soil and partial sun.
Larkspur (Delphinium spp.).
USDA Agricultural Research Service.
North Carolina State Extension.
North Carolina State Extension.
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.
North Carolina State Extension.
Monkshood, Missouri Botanical Garden.
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.
