Purple flowers come in so many shades and are considered one of the most popular colors in flowers. Purple has always been considered a sign of royalty and will add a very elegant look to your garden.
Purple flowers come in so many shades and are considered one of the most popular colors in flowers. Purple has always been considered a sign of royalty and will add a very elegant look to your garden. We have pulled together a nice selection of purple flowers, their requirements, pros, and cons so you can find what will work best for you and your climate.
Did you know some purple flowers attract cats and butterflies? Another one looks like a bee, and another is poisonous! Check them all out below.
Purple Flowers Meaning
Purple flowers have always been very special for people around the world. These flowers have always been considered symbols of royalty and used in many high-brow celebrations. Purple is a very luxurious color making these flowers sought after for growing in gardens or for floral arrangements.
Purple comes in many different shades from soft lilac to a very deep, rich shade. There are many purples flowers from roses to lilies and they all stand out if added to a garden.
There is something mysterious and magical about this lush color. Here are the different ways people use purple flowers in their lives.
Purple Flowers in Arrangements
Purple flowers are extremely popular for arrangements and bouquets that are elegant while adding a touch of class. Because purple has always been a symbol of royalty, it’s no wonder they are used in wealthy societies.
Purple Flowers for Weddings
All weddings should be elegant, magical, and something out of a fairy tale. Purple is the perfect color for just about any wedding plan. Wedding arrangements can range from soft lavender flowers blended with pure white blooms or rich, luxurious purple flowers as the perfect backdrop for a dramatic effect with royal red bloomers. Purple flowers are used in weddings as arrangements, bouquets, corsages, and laurels to place on the bride’s head.
Designing Suggestions:
Try blending different shades of purple flowers for an exquisite table arrangement. You can use different flowers or the same flower in different shades along with a touch of evergreen. Purple is a color that will create an amazing statement but never seems to become overwhelming.
Types of Purple Flowers For Your Garden:
Verbena Verbena Bonariensis:
Native to South America, this lovely flower can be grown as an annual or perennial. It’s long, slender stems can stand from 3 to 6 feet in height and do not need stakes. At maturity, these flowers will develop a woody base.
The flowers are clusters that range from lavender to a gorgeous rose-purple, magenta to violet and are very fragrant. This plant will complement your other flowers and are perfect for annual borders.
Verbena is an excellent choice for a cottage garden. They tolerate drought and frost and are often used as cut flowers.
Care:
Verbena requires moist, well-drained soil and full sunlight. It grows best in zones 9 to 11. Make sure the soil is damp because if the soil dries out it will prevent flowering.
Planting:
Plant seeds in the autumn to early spring when the temperature is between 64 to 70°F. You can divide them during the spring months or use them as cuttings.
Issues:
They are prone to aphids, slugs, whiteflies, snails, powdery mildew, spider mites, scale insects, and rust.
Benefits:
They attract butterflies, are self-seeding, require low maintenance, fast growing, offer beautiful clustered flowers that will bloom into late summer. They are commonly used for borders or in beds.
Dimensions:
Verbena will grow from 3 to 6 feet in height and spread between 1 to 2 feet.
Lavender Lavandula:
A member of the mint family, lavender is a genus of 47 species and is found in many areas of the world. Europe, Cape Verde, the Canary Islands, Africa, the Mediterranean, southwest Asia and southeast India.
Lavandula angustifolia is the most common and a genuine lavender also referred to as English Lavender. Although lavender is not native to England, it is one of the most popular flowers found in English Gardens.
Planting & Care:
They are often grown in herbal or perennial beds and will require good draining soil. You can achieve good draining by planting them on a small mound. Lavender should be watered very well but infrequently when the soil is almost dry. Prune back in the early spring or fall to encourage, branching and new growth. Clip faded blooms to encourage continued blooming throughout the warmer summer months. Low growing species should have the foliage trimmed back 1 to 2 inches.
Lavender grows best in zones 5 to 10
Lavender requires full sun and good draining soil. If you have heavy soil, add an organic compound.
Lavandula has approximately 12 species of aromatic evergreen shrubs that are grown for their very fragrant spikes.
Old Fashioned English Lavender:
Known for its English Lavender oil, dark bluish-lavender flower spikes, and compact growth. The Vera species is the most tolerant as it is very cold hardy.
Benefits:
Deer & Rabbit Resistant, attracts bees and butterflies, and one of the most fragrant of all flowers.
Issues:
Root Rot & Leaf Spots which can be minimized if in good draining soil.
Clematis:
The Clematis Arabella variety offers gorgeous mauve flowers and can grow to 30 feet in height. When in full bloom, this plant produces more purple flowers in less space than almost any other plant. Clematis is often grown in containers but can be planted in your garden. The fall or early spring are the best times to plant but will depend on the variety and the region.
Planting & Care:
When planting Clematis, give them plenty of space for good air flow and use a rich, well-draining soil. Make sure you dig a hole that is large enough. It is recommended to be at least 2 feet in depth and place a good compost into the holes before planting. It is also recommended that you cut the plant back just a bit before planting to prevent it from going into shock.
Clematis requires low-maintenance but a great deal of water. They should be watered to an inch or so every week and much more often during dry spells.
Clematis prefers sunny areas that will offer up to 6 hours of needed sun in order to bloom. That said, the soil should remain cool, so a good idea is to plant ground cover or shallow-rooted perennials around this plant Applying a 2-inch layer of mulch will keep the roots cool and moist.
Some varieties range from 2 to 5 feet in height and gardeners often support them with poles. Larger varieties can range from 8 to 12 feet and usually, trellises are the chosen support.
Needs:
Well-drained soil, full sun, and grows best in zones 3 to 9. Clematis also prefers a sheltered area to grow really well.
Issues:
Powder mildew if air circulation is poor. Aphids and spider mites are also issues with Clematis.
Bellflower Campanula:
There are over 500 species and are found across several temperate regions throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
The largest collection of varieties are found east of the Caucasus in the Mediterranean. They are also found in the tropical regions of the mountains of Asia and Africa.
Bellflower Campanula species include biennial, perennial, and annual plants. The smaller varieties are under 1.9 inches in height while the larger varieties range from 6 to 7 feet.
The plants range in colors and sizes but are best known for their cup-shaped turned up flowers that range from white to pink, lavender to blue.
Bellflower spreads over time and the lower growing species are perfect for the ground cover. They start to bloom in July until the first frost.
The member Bluebells are one of the most common in the family and are found across North America in highland fields. The Scotch Bluebell is native to the British Isles and reach 10 inches in height.
The Dwarf Bellflower are commonly used in container gardens or in crevasses. They only reach 3 inches in height but may spread 15 inches wide.
Care:
These plants grow best in zone 4 but possibly in zone 3 if well protected. Because they are cold hardy, these plants are very popular in areas that have hard winters. They are charted at zones 3 to 9.
They require full sun or partial shade, well-drained soil with moderate moisture and, once established, they can tolerate some periods of drought.
Soil conditions can vary greatly including acidic soils. Seeds should only be planted after any danger of frost. Make sure the seedlings remain moderately moist. The also require low-maintenance. 574
Dwarf Iris Reticulata:
This plant is native to Turkey and the Caucasian Mountains. Dwarf Reticulata grows 4 inches high with grass-like leaves and beautiful bluish-violet flowers with yellow markings that when in bloom, look like butterflies are hovering over them.
They bloom in early spring and require average medium moisture, neutral or slightly alkaline well-drained soil, full sun to partial shade.
This plant works great in container gardens, rock gardens, under trees or shrubs or as a border.
When planted, they should be placed 4 inches deep and 3 inches apart from each other. Dwarf Iris should be sown in pots in the colder seasons and lift the bulbs in early fall. They grow best in zones 4 to 9.
Balloon Flower Platycodon:
Platycodon grandiflorus is in the Campanulaceae family of flowering plants. It is native to East Asia including Korea, Japan, and China.
This plant will grow to 24 inches high by 12 inches wide and is a perennial with dark green leaves and gorgeous blue flowers that bloom in late summer. Its most notable feature is the flower bud that swells up like a balloon before it opens, thus its name Balloon Flower. The petals are fused together creating the shape of a bell at the base. Other varieties have pink, purple, or white blooms and have received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
The Balloon Flower is very hardy and very easy to grow. Its botanical name means ‘broad bell”, though when opened, it looks more like a star. Other names include Chinese Bellflower and Japanese Bellflower. These plants are long lasting perennials and will grow in cold climates or in drought regions and will grow well in hardy zones between 3 to 9.
They require full sun to partial shade and when mature will vary in height from 1 to 2 feet high to 1-foot wide while shorter varieties only reach 1-foot high. They bloom anywhere from mid-summer to later on.
Benefits:
Deer resistant and rarely need to be divided.
Catmint Nepeta
Catmint Nepeta is a member of the mint family and commonly known as Catnip. This plant is very easy to grow and has very few pest problems. Its foliage has spiked flowers at the top and blooms in early summer and can be bloom again throughout other seasons. The flowers can be lavender/blue, pink, or white. Many gardeners use the lavender/blue variety in place of lavender that is not tolerant in their regions.
This plant is native to southern and eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and some areas of China. It is greatly naturalized in northern Europe, New Zealand, and North America. The plant’s name came from the enormous attraction it has for cats.
Catmint is perfect for edging and along paths as its low to the ground and a sprawling plant. Larger varieties are more upright and can be planted throughout your garden. Depending on the variety, once mature, this plant’s size will vary. Most catmints are bushy plants that grow around 10 inches high to 24 inches in width but some will grow 4 feet high by 3 feet wide.
Catmint will grow well in both full sun or partial shade. It requires well-drained soil and grows best in zones 3 to 8. Shearing these plants will give you a fuller, lusher plant in the following season. They bloom in early summer and in some regions throughout all seasons.
Benefits:
Attracts cats and butterflies, is often used as an insect repellent especially mosquitoes, cockroaches, and termites. It’s often used in brewing herbal teas and for culinary dishes. Though it can be ingested through smoking, its effect is quite minor.
Catnip is known to have a very strong effect on domestic cats but can also have an effect on wild cats. There have been cases of lions and tigers being affected by the plant but it’s not a consistent reaction.
Salvia Purple Flowers:
Salvia is the largest plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, and there are approximately 1,000 species of perennials, annuals, and shrubs. It is one of the several genera referred to as Sage and is commonly used in cooking. This plant can grow anywhere between 8 to 20 inches tall and the blooms grow along its stalk in profusions of purple colors.
Salvia is found through the Americas and Old World including South and Central America, Central Asia, the Mediterranean, and Eastern Asia. The species include annual, biennial, or perennial herbs and woody shrubs. The leaves are typically smooth though some are toothed. The flowers are produced in racemes or panicles. These flowers a very showy and range in colors from blue to white, red to yellow.
The Variety Blue Hill has been honored as one of the top perennials in 1997. The plant has lance-shaped leaves with spikes of gorgeous purplish-blue flowers. Its dark purple flowers stems and delicate spikes literally thrust into the air out of the leaves at the base.
Many gardeners will deadhead the flowers or trim them back. In some cases, they will continually bloom throughout the summer without being deadheaded.
Salvia requires full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil, and grows best in zones 4 to 9. In hotter climates, this plant will do best in shade.
Allium Flower:
This stunning, ornamental flower comes in a huge range of colors and sizes. They commonly have long slender stalks and a globe of flowers at the top. The two tallest varieties are the “Globemaster” and “Gladiator and also have the largest flowers.
Globemaster & Gladiator:
These varieties are the largest in the family with flower heads on 3 to 4-foot stems. They bloom in early to mid-June in a striking deep purple color.
Purple Flowers Sensation:
This variety has 2-inch to 4-inch globes normally bloom in early June. Its stems reach 24 inches to 30 inches in height.
You can only plant Alliums in the fall and some ornamental varieties look like chives and grow with roots vs bulbs.
The Drumstick Allium:
Doesn’t stand up really well so should be planted with other perennials to gain much-needed support.
The Ozawa Allium:
Takes the longest to bloom out of all the varieties and flowers in a lovely pink.
Yellow Allium:
This variety is an excellent choice for rock gardens.
Alliums are very easy to grow and can last forever with the huge variety they come in.
Benefits:
Alliums are very hardy and have little to no requirements. They will grow in just about any soil as long as its well-drained. They do prefer full sun and will perform best in that environment. There is little to no maintenance required as they will multiply on their own. They are drought tolerant and enjoy soil that is slightly on the drier side.
They do not suffer from serious diseases or insects. They are rodent, vole, chipmunk, rabbit, and deer resistant as well. Alliums are inexpensive and are the perfect choice for perennial gardens. The huge spectrum of colors makes this a great plant for gardeners wanting to add multiple colors to their gardens.
Needs Include well-drained soil, full sun, and grow best in zones 3 to 9.
Monkshood Aconitum napellus:
Warning!
If you have young children and pets, you do not want to bring this plant into your garden. All parts of this plant are poisonous if consumed or if the sap comes in contact with mucous membrane.
It will affect a wide range from skin irritation to cardiac and respiratory failure. Always wash your hands after handling this plant. For thousands of years, the poisonous compounds were used on spears and arrows.
Monkshood Aconitum napellus, also known as wolf’s bane, is native to Central and Western Europe and is a member of the Ranunculaceae family. This is a perennial that will to 3 feet in height, the leaves are rounded and divided into 5 to 7 lobed segments.
The flowers are dark purple to a bluish-purple and are oblong helmet-shaped. Aconitum napellus grown in North America and Asia are now considered a different species.
Monkshood is grown in gardens for its lovely flowers which are often used for different purposes including dried materials. It is usually reproduced by seed or removing offsets that are created from its root system.
Care:
This plant works well in both full sun and partial shade and requires moist soil. If grown in a hot, dry climate, you should give it shade especially during the afternoon hours. That said, you will have to use stakes for this plant if grown in a shady area.
Monkshood does take several years to become established and mature. Once it reaches full maturity it will live for a very long time. This plant can reach 3 to 5 feet in height and spread approximately 1-foot across.
This plant will start blooming in mid to late summer and continue into fall. It grows best in zones 4 to 8.
Issues:
Although this plant rarely has issues, insects such as leafminers can attack the leaves. Mites will also cause a great deal of stress on this plant and is susceptible to bacterial leaf spot, rust, and verticillium wilt.
Monkshood is deer resistant and just about any other animal will steer clear, due to its poisonous nature.
Alpine Betony Stachys monieri:
This lovely plant is related to Lamb’s Ears although they do not resemble each other in any way. It is a perennial that develops a mound of green foliage and spikes of deep purple or deep pink flowers. This plant blooms in midsummer and removing dead flowers will encourage new buds. This plant is great for borders or in containers.
This plant prefers 6 or more hours of full sun and well-drained soil. Once it is well established, it will be drought tolerant and the green leaves will remain green well into the winter season. Cut off the dead leaves in the spring and divide it 3 or 4 times a year to remove the woody center. After a few years, this plant will grow to 18 inches wide.
Alpine Betony Stachys monieri is deer resistant and grows best in zones 4 to 9.
Lily of the Nile Agapanthus Orientalis:
This perennial is to Southern Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Mozambique. It has been naturalized in various areas of the world including Britain, Australia, Mexico, Jamaica, and Ethiopia. This plant is in the Amaryllidaceae family and is often called an African Lily.
This lovely flower is formed in clumps that are a deep, rich blue, evergreen leaves, and narrow stalks. This is a very popular plant amongst gardeners due to its lush tropical appearance. In milder climates, this is a great plant for outdoors or in containers in colder climates.
Care:
Agapanthus prefers full sun to partial shade and moist organic soil, though it can tolerate droughts once well established. For best results, it should be planted 18 to 24 inches apart to create a thick ground cover. It is propagated by division or seeds. This plant should be watered regularly in first growth until it becomes well established.
Benefits:
It is very attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds. Grows best in zones 8 to 11.
Issues:
Chewing insects, borers, and maggots. Botrytis will destroy this plant in humid areas of the Eastern United States. There are other varieties of Agapanthus that are disease resistant and would be better choices for this region of the country.
Anemone nemorosa
This plant comes in a variety of species and colors. Some bloom in the spring while others bloom in the fall. Low-growing varieties are great for rock gardens while the taller varieties will be a wonderful accent to any garden.
Anemone is native to Europe and is a member of the Ranunculaceae family. Other names include windflower, thimbleweed, and smell fox due to its musky smelling leaves. This is a wonderful plant for spring landscaping and low-growing, spreading plant. The flowers range in colors of purple, blue, white, or pink.
The plant creates a beautiful carpet in the spring and then in early summer, the foliage will die down, making room for later blooming flowers.
The plant starts blooming shortly after the foliage emerges from the ground. The leaves are divided into 3 lobes. They grow from an underground root system and then spreads just below the soil’s surface. This forms a long spreading clump that will grow very quickly providing a carpet-like appearance.
The flowers are small in diameter with 6 or 7 petal-like segments with many stamens. In the wild, the flowers are normally white but this plant’s flowers are often blue, pink, or lavender. The flowers are pollinated by insects. Anemones are slow growers but once established, they will spread very quickly.
Details:
This plant reaches 6 inches in height and will spread to 3 feet wide. It does best in zones 5 to 9 and prefers full sun or partial shade. The soil should be moist and well-draining
This plant is drought tolerant, attracts bees and butterflies, and is deer resistant.
Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera:
Ophrys is the Greek word for “eyebrow” which is due to their furry edges. In Europe, this plant is known as the bee orchid because it attracts bees who in turn pollinate the plant. It is a perennial that is a member of the Orchidaceae family.
This plant grows between 6 to 20 inches in height and develops small rosettes of leaves during the fall. The plant will bloom from mind-April to July producing spikes that are made up of one to twelve flowers. The color varies from purple to white.
Ophrys apifera is the only species in the genus that is self-pollinating but pollination takes place from the Eucera and Tetralonia bees in the Mediterranean. This occurs when the plant produces a scent that is similar to that of the female bees and attracts the males.
Care:
Ophrys prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained moist soil. It does best in zones 6 to 9. It does much better as an indoor potted plant because it’s quite difficult to grow outdoors.
Bittersweet Nightshade Solanum dulcamara:
Nightshade is native to northern Africa, Europe, and Asia but is also spread throughout the entire world. This plant is a popular food source for some species of birds such as the European Thrush.
Even though the fruit of this plant is poisonous, the birds are immune to it. This plant can be found in a wide range of areas including wetlands to forests. In North America, this plant is a problem because it’s highly invasive.
Solanum dulcamara is also known as bittersweet, nightshade, blue bindweed, and bitter nightshade, felonwood, poisonberry, and the list goes on and on.
This plant is a semi-woody perennial vine which will crawl over other plants and capable of reaching heights of 4m but usually it’s between 1 to 2m. The leaves are long and arrow-shaped and usually lobed at the base.
The flowers are clusters that are star-shaped and are1 to 1.5m across. It has purple petals with yellow stamens. The fruits are red berries that are soft and juicy with a scent similar to tomatoes.
These berries are very harmful to humans and deadly to livestock. It can be seriously dangerous to children who find the berries very attractive.
Care:
This plant prefers rich wet soil with plenty of nitrogen and partial shade. It grows best in zones 4 to 8
This plant does really well in dark areas when it receives light during the morning or afternoon. Areas that received prolonged light will impede its development.
Wild Indigo Baptisia australis:
Baptisia australis is a member of the pea family known as Fabaceae. This is a very popular plant with gardeners due to their gorgeous deep blue or violet flowers. It is native to Eastern and Central North America and common in the Midwest of the United States. It is usually found growing in the wild, bordering around woods, streams and open meadows.
Other names this plant is known for are indigo weed, rattleweed, rattlebush, and horsefly weed. This is a lovely plant for gardens due to its glowers and light green leaves, and unusual oblong fruit that will show in the late summer. It can grow from 3 to 3.9 feet in height and a large spread. It does have a deep taproot system which makes it very difficult to move once planted. Cutting back dead stems when they die back will preventing leaves from falling off during the fall season.
Care:
Indigo Baptisia prefers well-draining, lime-free soil with full sun to partial shade. It grows best in zones 3 to 8. Once established, this plant requires very low maintenance and will be drought tolerant. After the seed pods are developed, you can cut the plant back a third.
Bell Heather Erica cinerea:
Bell Heather Erica is native to Western Europe including France, Ireland, Britain, Northern Spain, and Southern Norway. It has also been found in other countries such as Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands.
This plant offers a lot of nectar for its pollinators. Also known as the heather bell, the species are members of the heath family.
This is a very popular flowering plant for gardeners due to its low-growing shrub appearance with beautiful purple, bell-shaped flowers. The flowers, to touch, are very dry in texture like the strawflower.
Care:
Bell Heather prefers full sun and well-draining soil. To help the plant develop broad roots, use a thick layer of mulch and water regularly. This plant grows best in zones 6 to 8. Bell heather is also the source of heather honey.
Blue-Eyed Grass Sisyrinchium montanum:
Blue-Eyed Grass or American blue-eyed grass is a grass-like species that is actually a perennial wildflower. It has long green foliage that looks like grass and produces beautiful, bright, purple flowers.
This plant is a member of the Sisyrinchium genus and is native to North America to Newfoundland, and the easternmost part of Alaska. It is found in Pennsylvania and the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico.
This plant grows in clumps that range from 10 to 50 cm tall. The stems and leaves are slender and are either green or brownish with sharp edges and fine points, like grass.
The flowers consist of 6 purple tepals with yellow bases and stamens. The fruit of this plant contains a number of small black seeds.
Care:
This plant prefers partial shade and well-draining soil. This plant grows best in zones 4 to 9. You should wait to cut back the leaves until they turn brown. You should only cut just above the crown. This will allow the foliage to build up needed energy for the following season.
Purple Flash Pepper:
If your taste runs to a rich, deep purple, this is the perfect flower for your garden. This lovely plant makes a wonderful backdrop for other flowers in colors from pink to white, to a splendid red. Some purple flowers such as the Capsicum Purple Flash also bear little black fruit for a touch of texture.
This plant is actually a rather large plant that can grow to 15 inches high to 2 feet wide! It enjoys full morning sun & afternoon shade and is an excellent choice for a garden border. This plant grows best in zones 3 to 8.
Royal Candles Veronica:
This gorgeous plant shows off purple spikes of blooms that will be a real eye-catcher in your garden. This purple flower is very easy to grow and will bloom all the way through the summer months. By removing the dead flower heads will ensure this lovely plant will keep right on blooming. Royal Candles Veronica is resistant to deer and rabbits.
Also known as Royal Candles Veronica Glory, it prefers full morning sun and afternoon shade and requires moist well-draining soil. This lovely flower will grow to one foot high and wide and attracts butterflies. Veronica grows best in zones 3 to 8.
Suggestion:
Plant Veronica with Moonshine Yarrow which is a perennial that is very hardy in just about every garden. Its beautiful canary yellow flowers grow on narrow stems well above its grayish-green foliage.
This is a lovely accent flower for borders or rock gardens. Moonshine is often used as cut flowers for arrangements or as dried flowers.
Or plant with Moonbeam Coreopsis with its pretty yellow blooms that last for an extended period of time. This plant is great for borders, will grow from 18 inches to 24 inches and spreads to 20 inches.
Like Veronica, both of these flowers enjoy full sun and well-draining soil.
Heliotrope:
This purple flower blooms during the summer months with rich, dense flower heads that have a wonderful scent of vanilla. Mix this flower with its other colors of pale blue or white for a lovely effect. In the tropics, this plant is grown as a shrub.
When the flowers are pinched back it will become quite bushy and full. Many gardeners choose to plant this flower by their front door or in window boxes in order to enjoy their sweet scent. This plant prefers full sun and moist well-draining soil.
Heliotrope can grow to 3 feet in height and width. It grows best in zones 10 to 11. Outside of the tropics, this plant is commonly grown as an annual.
Suggestion:
Try blending this purple flower with lemon basil, lemon verbena, or lemongrass for a wonderful blend of texture and color.
Whatever types of purple flowers you choose for your garden or for containers, learn what each plant needs to get rich, healthy bloomers. You should learn their sun requirements, what seasons they bloom best in and the many varieties of other plants that work best with your chosen purple flowers.
