Planting purple flowers in your garden can add rich thematic colors. Many gardeners combine their purple flowers with different shades of purple or other hues to come up with new garden designs.
Purple roses combined with yellow sunflowers creates a wonderful contrast of both color and overall flower shape. You can combine a dark purple flower with a white cut flower to create a gorgeous bouquet, or include a purple flowering plant or shrub in your rock garden to add a splash of color.
The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to your flower beds, so keep on reading to perhaps discover a new species of purple flowering plant to include in your garden or sunroom display!
Related: Types of Planters | Hydrangea Flower Pot and Planter Arrangements | Shoe and Boot Planter Ideas | Patio Potted Plant and Flower Ideas | Orange Flowers | Red Flowers | Pink Flowers | Yellow Flowers | Types of Malva Flowers | Blue Flowers | White Flowers
Choosing an Annual Flower or a Perennial Flower
When deciding which plant to incorporate into your green space, the first decision usually comes between deciding on a perennial plant or an annual plant.
Purple Flowering Perennial
A perennial plant is a plant that will continue to bloom year after year. Once they are well established in the soil, there is no telling how long they will survive!
They will usually bloom sometime in the early spring or late spring and will die back in autumn. However, they will go dormant over the winter, and bloom again come spring.
These herbaceous perennials live for more than two years and are some of the easiest to grow. Their roots remain firmly in the ground and are more far-ranging.
Once established, they need only minimal maintenance in the form of watering and fertilizing. Perennial flowers are great garden spreads and add rich color to your garden.
Purple Flowering Annual
Annual flowers, on the other hand, are so-called because they survive only one growing season – within one calendar year. They will usually bloom in the early spring or late spring, the flowers will die back in the late summer, and that will be the end of that story.
Most annual flowers need seeds to grow and require nurturing throughout the season. Garden owners would have to fertilize and water them regularly until the time comes for the flowers to die. By the start of a new growing season, the cycle repeats itself.
How to Choose
Apparently, most gardeners would choose purple perennial flowers for their garden for practical purposes. Whether you choose a purple perennial or annual flower for your garden, make sure that you know how much water the plant needs. It is important to maintain well drained soil, water levels, and the right amount of sunlight.
Some would require only minimum amount of water while others need to be watered thoroughly and regularly. Most of these flowers also love full sun but can also appreciate having some light shade during summer afternoons and some shade protection from the wind as well.
Annual plants tend to be a little bit more high maintenance, but the gardener finds it worth it because of the short lived, but spectacular bloom. Perennial plants can be less high maintenance once they are established, and will continue to grace your property with color season after season.
Purple Perennial Flowers
1. Verbena Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Verbena
Native Growing Range: North America, Central America, South America, Asia
Bloom Time: Late Spring to Early Summer
Light Requirement: They require 8-10 hours of sunlight a day except in summers where they may be placed under shade in the afternoon.
Water Requirement: Water thoroughly and regularly for the first few weeks. Once the plants are well established, you’ll need to water only once when the soil is dry. Avoid watering overhead.
Purple Verbena Flowers are erect, shrubby perennials that can grow up to 6 ft tall in southern, warmer regions and 3 ft tall in the northern, colder regions. Flowers can emerge blue, pink, or white as well as purple (depending on the cultivar – tall verbena (verbena bonariensis) is very popular).
They produce tiny purple flowers comprised of 5 petals and they are borne in dense spikes. summer through fall and self-seeds readily. They can be ornaments to your garden grounds, house walls, or in a hanging pot.
Verbena also has be traditionally known as a flower that is associated with divinity. According to Christians it has been labelled as the “holy herb” as it was used to cover Jesus’ wounds after the Crucifixion. Many different cultures throughout time have attributed both healing and supernatural powers to this plant.
2. Lavender Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Lavandula
Native Growing Range: Europe, Africa, Mediterranean, Asia, India, North America
Bloom Time: They can survive both summer and spring seasons.
Light Requirement: Purple Lavenders need at least 8 hours of sunlight so they need to be placed somewhere they can get full sun. They will also need to be sheltered against winter winds.
Water Requirement: Water only sparingly since over-watering can be harmful to the flowers. Make sure the pot has adequate drainage if the flowers are in a pot. Wait for the soil to be completely dry before watering again. It’s still not good for the flowers to be dehydrated.
Lavender is a short lived, herbaceous perennial plant that has a shrubby growth habit. Leaf shape will vary from species to species, and tiny purple flowers are borne in whorls along tall spikes. Flowers are mostly lilac in color, but some can be blue or violet as well.
Purple Lavenders are Mediterranean flowers with heavy fragrance. They are easy to grow especially in sandy well-drained slightly alkaline soil. They are well-known for their relaxing and healing capacities and used in relieving migraine, insomnia, and headache.
These plants are a flowering plant that are actually part of the mint family! They are valued because they are both beautiful, easy to care for plants that have the added bonus as both a culinary and medicinal herb.
3. Clematis Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Clematis
Native Growing Range: China and Japan
Bloom Time: Can survive throughout the four seasons.
Light Requirement: Purple Clematis prefer a sunny spot with a cool shade. They need at least six hours of sunlight a day.
Water Requirement: Water weekly for the first season until the flower gets established, then rain water should suffice for water requirements.
Purple Clematis originated in China and Japan and can climb fences, posts, and trellises. They are very hardy, large-flowered, and grow intense purple flowers. The flowers bloom during the current year’s growth.
Clematis flowers are beloved because they are climbing, woody vine plants that can curl and twist around whatever you plant it near. If they are growing in warm regions they will have evergreen foliage, but if they are growing in colder regions they will have deciduous foliage.
4. Bellflowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Campanula
Native Growing Range: All over the Northern Hemisphere
Bloom Time: Spring through Summer
Light Requirement: Bellflowers are best planted in full sun but can also do well in partial shade.
Water Requirement: Water thoroughly especially during the hot, summer months when there’s only about 1 inch rainfall per week.
The term, campanula, is actually latin for “little bell”, which is the perfect name to give the common bellflower! They are prevalent all over the northern hemisphere in subtropical regions.
Purple Bellflowers are hardy plants that can grow full, showy flowers perfect for cottage gardens. These flowers love well-drained soil high in organic compost. They can grow to be anywhere from 5 centimetres tall to 6 feet tall!
The flowers themselves are comprised of 5 purple petals that are a long oval shape with a pointed tip. Flowers are produced in panicles above a dark green leaf base.
5. Dwarf Iris Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Iris Reticulata
Native Growing Range: Turkey and the Caucasian Mountains
Bloom Time: Late Winter to Early Spring
Light Requirement: Purple Dwarf Iris loves sunny locations to partial shade, they aren’t too picky about their levels of sun exposure.
Water Requirement: Best to water regularly in hot summer months, though their bulbous roots maintain the appropriate level of water release throughout the colder months.
Also known as Miniature Iris, Purple Dwarf Iris can be great ornaments in your garden as beds, borders, and inside fencing. These wildflowers can grow only up to 6 to 8 inches and can spread through underground rhizomes! This type of root system makes iris‘ very resilient plants.
Though this purple bloom only lasts a few days, the beautiful “butterfly” effect is absolutely dazzling — they resemble small butterflies hovering close to the ground. Though the flower petal is a purple color, they are often decorated with bright yellow accents.
6. Catmint Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Nepeta Mussinii
Native Growing Range: Caucasus, Iran, Iraq, Turkey
Bloom Time: Summer through Fall
Light Requirement: Purple Catmints love the full sun but will appreciate light shade as well especially during summer afternoons.
Water Requirement: Water regularly and thoroughly until the flowers are established. Afterwards, natural precipitation will keep them happy.
Purple Catmint flowers are related to catnips but have showier flowers and are useful in garden settings with their range of heights. Some of these flowers reach a foot tall or even up to 3-4 feet tall.
Catmint is known as being one of the “perennial powerhouses” of plants, as it is resilient, easy to grow, and blooms profusely. Purple bloom seasons will last quite a while in any type of soil. This plant is a close relative of the plant “catnip”, which is the natural calming ingredient for cats!
7. Salvia Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Salvia
Native Growing Range: North America, Central America, South America, Asia, Mediterranean
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Salvia flowers love the full sun but will also do well in partial shade, especially during the hot summer months.
Water Requirement: Water thoroughly especially in the summer when rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Also known as sage, Purple Salvia flowers are related to kitchen sage and grow small densely packed flowers on top of an aromatic foliage. They can reach from 18 inches up to 5 feet tall, they are easy to care for, they are tolerant of dry soil, and attract hummingbirds.
Salvia commonly has a woody subshrub growth habit. Flowering stems are showy and tall that emerge from a basal rosette of dark green leaves. The salvia flowers themselves are borne in racemes, and each flower is comprised of 2 sets of purple petals: 2 upper petals, and 3 lower petals.
8. Peony Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Paeonia
Native Growing Range: Asia, Europe, Western North America
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Peonies love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Water thoroughly especially in the summer when rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Purple Peonies are large colorful bowl-shaped flowers with dark green foliage. They are some of the longest-living garden plants taking up to 3 years to mature. These flowers are low maintenance and fragrant.
Peonies can come in pink, red, white, yellow, or purple, and they are known for being exceptionally sweet smelling. Though their blooms only last a little over a week, gardeners everywhere are more than willing to put the work in for this short bloom period.
They are a popular garden plant, but also make for a great cut flower variety. Though most are herbaceous perennial plants, some species grow as more woody shrubs that should be kept in the garden.
9. Hydrangea Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Hydrangea
Native Growing Range: Asia, North America, Central America, South America
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Hydrangeas flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Make sure Purple Hydrangeas get enough water so that their soil remains moist (but never water logged, they prefer well drained soil).
Purple Hydrangeas are broad-leaved shrubs or vines with showy flowers. They are a great choice for group planting, borders, or containers. They are easy to cultivate and tolerant of most soil types!
Hydrangea flowers don’t make for great cut flower specimens, as their petals wither away rather quickly once they are cut.
Flowers emerge in the early spring or late autumn, and flowers emerge in corymbs at the ends of stems. Flower heads are comprised of small, non showy flowers that hide in the centre of larger, very showy flowers with colorful petals.
10. Daisy Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Asteraceae
Native Growing Range: Every Continent but Antartica
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Daisies flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade and even full shade.
Water Requirement: Purple Daisies need at least an inch of water a week, and most regions will receive enough natural precipitation to meet this requirement. After all, daisies grow literally everywhere without any help.
There are many different daisy species that have different colored blooms. Depending on the cultivar and species, they can produce white, pink, yellow, blue, or purple flowers. They can also be annual or perennial, though most are perennial species.
Daisies can live literally anywhere, in any soil type, with any level on sunlight. Flowers are comprised of tiny individual florets that are held in place by a centre disc. Daisies have also been around forever, with fossil records of daisy seeds dating back almost 80 million years ago.
11. Beardtongue Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Penstemon
Native Growing Range: North America
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Beardtongue flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Water thoroughly especially in the summer when rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Also known as Penstemon, Purple Beardtongue flowers are native to western United States. They are tubular flowers on tall spikes and can grow 1 to 3 inches tall. They are easy to cultivate and tolerant of dry soil.
These strange flowering plants get their name because of their staminode – which is an infertile stamen. Though it can look different on different plants, it will mostly give the impression of an open mouth with a fuzzy tongue coming out of it.
Though nowadays it is used purple as an ornamental plant because of its interesting flower arrangement and lovely growth habit, traditionally the beardtongue was used as a medicinal plant by certain First Nations tribes.
12. Creeping Phlox Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Phlox Stolonifera
Native Growing Range: Eastern United States
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Creeping Phlox flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Regularly water the flowers until they are established. Make sure they still get enough supplemental water even when the flowers are already established, as they are not tolerant of dry soil.
Purple Creeping Phlox flowers are five-pointed, starry, and small with needle-like foliage. They can grow 4 to 6 inches tall and can reach up to a 2 feet spread. They are easy to cultivate and tolerant of most soil types as long as they are well drained.
Creeping phlox is a very popular ornamental plant, especially when it comes to rock gardens. They exhibit a ground cover habit that in the spring becomes wonderfully decorated with dainty purple flowers.
13. Sage Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Salvia Officinalis
Native Growing Range: Mediterranean
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Sage flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Water regularly during the plants’ growing season, though they are very tolerant of drier conditions throughout the rest of the year.
Purple Sage flowers are hardy and inexpensive. They are considered a native desert plant and are tolerant of any soil type. These flowers can reach a hedge size and are easy to cultivate as well!
Sage bushes grow from woody stems and have ornamentally attractive grey/purple leaves that stay on the plant all year long. Sage lavender colored flowers emerge in the late spring or early summer and stay for a wonderful few weeks.
Sage foliage is actually edible, and is a very popular herbal culinary plant. The leaves are fuzzy and soft and have a dynamic flavor that is simultaneously bitter, sweet, and earthy.
14. Obedient Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Physostegia Virginiana
Native Growing Range: North America
Bloom Time: Spring and summer flowers
Light Requirement: Purple Obedient flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Average water needs; water regularly but do not overwater as they are not tolerant to flooded or poorly drained conditions.
Purple Obedient flowers are so-called because these flowers easily bend to any direction you like– they are also nicknamed false dragonhead. However, they are not so obedient when it comes to the garden because they can just as easily spread out.
The obedient plant is a herbaceous perennial that grows from an underground rhizome — this is a sure sign that this is a hardy and resilient plant. They can grow 2-4 feet tall and tubular flowers emerge resembling snap dragons.
15. Veronica Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Veronica
Native Growing Range: Temperate Northern Hemisphere
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Veronica flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Water thoroughly especially in the summer when rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Also known as speedwell, bird’s eye, or gypsyweed, purple Veronica flowers are carefree and easy to cultivate with long spikes of small petals. They grow in clusters from 1 to 3 feet tall and easily attract birds and butterflies.
Not only is the Veronica plant lovely to look at and good for soil health, but they are also an edible and medicinal plant! The flavor of the leaves is said to be similar to that of watercress, but it can also be turned into an herbal tea that helps with issues of nervous system and respiratory stress.
16. Calla Lily Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Zantedeschia
Native Growing Range: Africa
Bloom Time: Summer
Light Requirement: This plant prefers to exist in partial shade conditions as full sun can damage the leaves, but full shade can delay the blooming season.
Water Requirement: Calla lilies prefer to exist in moist soils, though they can tolerate short periods of more dry conditions.
Also known as the arum lily, the calla lily is an absolutely stunning ornamental perennial plant. Though most people treat it as an annual plant because of its specific growing requirements, they can continue to bloom if you can maintain the ideal growing conditions.
The flowers themselves are remarkably simple and elegant, and can come in an array of colors. They are a very popular cut flower specimen for a flower bouquet, as they have long stems and flowers last up to 3 weeks out of water.
17. Balloon Flower
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Platycodon Grandiflorus
Native Growing Range: Eastern Asia
Bloom Time: Late Summer
Light Requirement: Balloon flowers prefer to exist in full sun conditions, meaning a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight.
Water Requirement: These plants have average water requirements. They should be watered regularly while they’re getting established, then natural precipitation can take over.
Also known as the Chinese bellflower or the platycodon, the balloon flower is a herbaceous perennial plant that can grow to be up to 24 inches tall. The most distinguished feature of this plant is the flower bud: it emerges like a balloon before opening up to a 5 petal flower!
The roots of the balloon flower are both an edible and medicinal feature of the plant. It is a common ingredient in many Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cuisines. It is very high in nutrients and can act as a healthy, starchy root vegetable.
18. Anise Hyssop Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Agastache Foeniculum
Native Growing Range: North America
Bloom Time: Summer through Fall
Light Requirement: These plants prefer to exist in full sun conditions, though they can tolerate partial shade as well.
Water Requirement: Anise hyssop plants have average water needs. They prefer to exist in consistently moist soil, though they can tolerate temporary drought conditions.
Not only is the anise hyssop flower beautiful, but it is a wonderful treat for pollinators like butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and moths. It is also an edible and medicinal plant, and is a popular garnish for salads.
This plant has a clumping growth habit from which small purple flowers emerge. These flowers are so tiny that upwards of 90,000 can be present on a single plant at one time! They are also known under the common names of blue giant hyssop, or lavender giant hyssop.
19. Allium Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Allium
Native Growing Range: Temperate Northern Hemisphere
Bloom Time: Spring through Fall
Light Requirement: Dependent on the species
Water Requirement: Dependent on the species
Allium is a genus that consists of many plant species that you may recognize, including garlic, shallots, onions, chives, and leeks! First and foremost these plants are known as edible varieties, though they do possess lovely purple flowers as well.
Allium species emerge from an underground bulb, many of which are edible! Though they are not primarily grown for their tiny purple flowers, many of them have a very attractive flower blooming season.
20. Monkshood Flowers
Type: Perennial
Scientific Name: Aconitum
Native Growing Range: Northern America, Europe, Asia
Bloom Time:
Light Requirement: These plants are tolerant of both full sun and partial shade sun exposure.
Water Requirement: Monkshood plants are water loving and should also have well saturated soil to remain happy.
Also known under the names of wolf’s bane, leopard’s bane, mousebane, women’s bane (should someone call Batman?), devil’s helmet, queen of poisons, or blue rocket, monkshood is a beautiful flowering plant that also happens to be massively poisonous.
Keep this is mind in case you have any pets that like to rummage around in the garden! The term, aconitum, is derived from the Greek word for javelin, which is in reference to the poison tips of the plant.
Specialty gardeners love to play around with aconitum species because they can be tricky to care for, but are wonderfully lovely.
Purple Annual Flowers
1. Impatiens Flowers
Type: Annual (and perennial varieties)
Scientific Name: Impatiens
Native Growing Range: Europe, Asia, North America, Africa
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Impatiens flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Water regularly but do not overwater, as they are not tolerant of water logged soil.
More commonly known as jewelweed, touch-me-not (we’ll explain that one in a minute) snapweed, and patience, impatiens plants are herbaceous annuals that produce succulent stems, lovely foliage, and even lovelier flowers.
Growing to be nearly 20 feet tall at times, this woody plant produces beautiful pink and purple flowers with 5 sepals. These flowers are interesting because they start out their lives with male sexual characteristics, which evolve into male sexual characteristics!
These plants are most commonly used as ornamental annuals for gardens, pots, and as indoor plants, though they do have some medicinal properties that have received recent scientific study.
2. Cornflowers
Type: Annual (some perennial varieties)
Scientific Name: Centaurea Cyanus
Native Growing Range: Europe
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Purple Cornflowers prefer to exist in full sun conditions and can perform poorly if they are in partial to full shade.
Water Requirement: Water thoroughly and regularly especially during summer.
Cornflowers may also be known under the name of bachelor’s button, and it is an annual flowering plant that has historically been known as a weed! They would grow in the wild in cornfields, though they are now currently endangered due to over-use of herbicides.
They can grow to be over 3 feet tall with grey stems that hold blue and purple flowers comprised of ray florets. Each component of the cornflower plant can be used in one way or another:
The flowers can be eaten dried or raw, and are often used as either spices or as beautiful garnishes. They are used ornamentally, they have medicinal properties, and the purple petals can also be used for natural pigment dyeing!
3. Petunia Flowers
Type: Annual
Scientific Name: Petunia
Native Growing Range: South America
Bloom Time: Spring and Summer
Light Requirement: Purple Petunias love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Water them thoroughly at least once a week.
Everybody knows about Petunias. There are even beloved childhood film characters named after them (anyone ever seen The Little Rascals?) Petunias are a very popular ornamental annual plant that comes in a variety of colors.
Petunia plants are beloved because they are easy to care for, have a long blooming season, and are an absolutely pleasure to look at. There are many different cultivars and hybrids of the petunia plant.
4. Geranium Flowers
Type: Annual
Scientific Name: Geranium
Native Growing Range: Mediterranean
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light Requirement: Geraniums have moderate light requirements, and need at least 4 to 6 hours of sunlight daily.
Water Requirement: Water thoroughly while allowing to dry out completely between waterings. They’d need less water during winter but take care that the roots don’t dry out.
Geraniums also go by the common name of cranesbill, and they are a wonderful annual plant that people all over the world know and love. They provide beauty gardens, and they are also an important source of nectar for various pollinating species.
The nickname “cranesbill” comes from the shape of the fruit capsule of that the flowers produce. There are man hybrids and cultivars available for a variety of colors of and flower shapes.
5. Morning Glory Flowers
Type: Annual
Scientific Name: Ipomoea
Native Growing Range: Asia, Europe, North America
Bloom Time: Spring and Summer
Light Requirement: Purple Morning Glory flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Water thoroughly especially during dry periods.
Purple Morning Glory are big, fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. They are climbing vines and can reach up to 15 feet in one season! Careful not to let them take over your garden, as their climbing stems can easily choke out other plants.
Morning glory flowers are gorgeous. They close at night time and during weather storms, and will open up in glory in the morning. Though they are considered as a weed by many, and are even an invasive species in some regions, they nevertheless grace a property with beautiful flowers for much of the spring and summer.
In certain east asian cuisines they are also used as an edible plant! They can be cooked and served in a similar way to cabbage or spinach. The leaves are actually marketed as “water spinach” or “water morning glory”.
6. Zinnia Flowers
Type: Annual
Scientific Name: Zinnia
Native Growing Range: United States and Mexico
Bloom Time: Spring
Light Requirement: Purple Zinnia flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade. They need a minimum daylight temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Water Requirement: Water lightly as they do not like to be over watered. Resist watering until the season is very dry.
Purple Zinnias are one of the easiest to cultivate and are very popular for cut flowers. They grow quickly, bloom extravagantly, and attract butterflies. They are actually part of the sunflower botanical family, so that gives you an idea of how extravagantly beautiful they are.
Zinnias are annual shrubs that can grow all over the Americas. Flowers can come in a multitude of colors, though the purple variety are especially beautiful. These heaving blooms will remain in bloom until the first frost of the season.
7. Pansy Flowers
Type: Annual (and perennial)
Scientific Name: Viola Wittrockiana
Native Growing Range: Europe and Asia
Bloom Time: Spring and Summer
Light Requirement: Purple Pansies love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Water regularly to maintain moist soil.
Purple Pansies are great for containers, borders, and ground covers. They have leggy growth and are hearty during cool seasons, making them a coveted ornamental annual plant! You may have also heard of a pansy being called a viola or a violet.
Pansy flowers hold a permanent place in popular culture and have been referenced by Shakespeare, in German fables, and many other poets and authors throughout time.
8. Dianthus Flowers
Type: Annual (and perennial varieties)
Scientific Name: Dianthus
Native Growing Range: Europe, Asia, Africa
Bloom Time: Spring and Summer
Light Requirement: Purple Dianthus flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade. They need at least 6 hours of sun.
Water Requirement: Water Purple Dianthus when dry and only at the base. Take care that the foliage remain dry.
Also known as pinks or sweet Williams, Purple Dianthus belong to the carnation family and emit a spicy fragrance, making them rather easy to identify. They are easy to grow and very versatile.
These low growing subshrubs can be either annual and perennial (depending on the growing location) and they possess beautiful ornamental flowers similar to carnations. There are over 1,500 different hybridized species for cultivation.
According to the Language of Flowers, sweet Williams actually represent boldness, so keep that in mind the next time you’re designing a bouquet for a loved one!
9. Sweet Pea Flowers
Type: Annual
Scientific Name: Lathyrus Odoratus
Native Growing Range: Italy
Bloom Time: Spring and Summer
Light Requirement: Purple Sweet Pea flowers love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Purple Sweet Pea flowers don’t need to be watered unless the soil is dry. Take care to water only the soil level and do so in the morning.
Sweet pea flowers are a leguminous plant are are actually cousins of the pea which is part of the fabaceae botanical family. It is an annual climbing plant that can sometimes tower over a 6 foot tall person!
Flowers are a lovely purple color with wonderfully floppy petals. They emit a beautiful orange-jasmine scent that attracts pollinators and humans alike. Their petal formation gives them the essence of butterflies flying in slow motion.
10. Dahlia Flowers
Type: Annual
Scientific Name: Dahlia
Native Growing Range: Central America
Bloom Time: Spring and Summer
Light Requirement: Purple Dahlias love the full sun but will also do well in light shade.
Water Requirement: Wait until the Purple Dahlias are established before watering them. Water at least 2 to 3 times a week for 30 minutes with a sprinkler. Water more during hot and dry season.
Purple Dahlias have a growing season of at least 120 days long and thrive in cool moist climates. These spiky flowers can grow 4 to 5 feet tall with blossoms inches to 10 inches in size! They are a wonderfully extravagant ornamental garden plant.
Dahlias are in the same botanical family as sunflowers, daisies, chrysanthemums, and zinnias. All of these plants are much beloved garden plants. They are also a common ingredient in Oaxacan cuisine!
FAQs
What do purple flowers mean?
Purple has long been the color of royalty, the color in which kings and queens draped their regal bodies. That history lent the color a sense of ceremony and dignity that persists to this day. Purple flowers, therefore, are perfect for a dignified, ceremonious occasion.
There is a pride that accompanies the display of purple flowers, as well as a feeling of accomplishment. This makes purple the perfect choice for an arrangement to be displayed at a graduation ceremony or other celebration of an accomplishment. Purple flowers representability, status, and success.
When given to a lover, a purple flower carries a message of majesty or enchantment. A purple rose given to a woman typically says, “you are my queen.”
Which trees have purple flowers?
There are several types of trees with purple flowers, and they all possess a regal beauty typical of their color.
Jacarandas, with their gorgeous springtime blooms, is perhaps the most famous of the purple-flowering trees. They can grow up to forty feet tall with an impressive, umbrella-like spread. They like sandy soil and fare well in sunny climates.
The crape myrtle tree is a bit shorter than the jacaranda, maxing out at thirty feet, but its domed canopy is just as impressive. Crape myrtles require copious amounts of sunlight, and they can be pruned to resemble shrubs.
The purple robe locust boasts elegant leaves as well as gorgeous purple flowers and can grow up to fifty feet tall. Its flowers are known to be particularly attractive to bees.
The purple orchid is a slightly smaller tree that will sometimes grow a second trunk. Its blooms do not occur at any specific time but happen at any moment from summer to the winter months.
Which purple flowers do butterflies like?
Purple is an excellent color for a butterfly garden, with many purple flowers offering sufficient nectar to attract pollinators.
The meadow blazing star is a late-blooming plant with a remarkable knack for attracting migratory monarch butterflies. Their clusters of small purple flowers on elongated stalks are also pleasant on the eye. The northern blazing star, similar in appearance, blooms even later, making it a perfect option for gardeners hoping to attract butterflies into September.
The Brazilian verbena is another purple flower that attracts butterflies like a magnet. Its deep purple hue is especially alluring, making it a comely and practical component of any butterfly garden.
Do any cacti or succulents have purple flowers? If so, what are they?
Purple happens to be a very common color for flowering cacti and succulents, meaning enthusiasts have plenty of options if they want to add a touch of royalty to their succulent gardens.
The strawberry hedgehog, native to the deserts of the United States, blooms beautiful purple flowers. It can grow up to two feet tall and does best in complete light.
The candelabra, native to Baja California in Mexico, is another purple-flowering cactus with a penchant for sun and an ability to survive on very little water.
Catclaws, another North American cactus, sports a very unique set of spindly, purplish spines, with dark purple flowers blooming on top. This is a unique-looking plant that will draw its fare share of attention.
The “fairy tongue,” is a purple-blooming succulent from across the pond in Africa. Its flowers are small and appear in adorable little clusters.
Do hummingbirds like purple flowers? Which ones?
Hummingbirds do indeed like purple flowers, especially those with excessive quantities of nectar. There are certain purple flowers that attract more hummingbirds than others.
Purple porter weed sports broad, light-purple flowers that sometimes come in blue. Hummingbirds (as well as butterflies) enjoy visiting these flowers, and will likely become regular visitors to a garden planted with them.
Bee balm, a small perennial, is as adept at attracting bees as its name suggests. But its pollinator-friendly status means that hummingbirds also hold this flower to be a favorite.
Rhododendrons can bloom purple, and are renowned for attracting a cornucopia of pollinators, hummingbirds included. The sheer number of flowers produced by a single bush helps account for the plant’s impressive attractive powers.
Which trees have purple flowers?
Jacaranda trees, which grow best in warm climates and in full sun, grow lavender-shaded flowers with long petals. The Crape Myrtle, on the other hand, does find in just about any climate.
This deciduous tree sprouts pastel purple flower groups toward the branch tip like lilacs do. Chaste tree flowers, which have magenta petals attached to its bright yellow pistol and stamen parts.
Which flowers complement purple flowers nicely?
1. Peach Gerberas
This fun flower in a peach color does stretch the idea of color a bit. It’s a nice change from always having to use yellow.
2. Coral Roses
White roses with a hint of peach or pink in them provides a deviation from the standard colors. Otherwise, an off-white or yellow rose would work.
3. Bellflower
It’s one of the most common types of purple flowers. It also comes in white, pink and lavender. All these colors could make a comforting spring arrangement for special occasions.
4. Blue Larkspur
Larkspur typically comes in purple, but it also comes in blue, red, white and pink. If you’re creative enough, you could combine all these colors, but the white or blue would probably look best with purple roses, carnations, peonies or marigolds.
5. Daisies
You’ll find them in a variety of colors, including yellow or white. The classic daisy with the bright yellow-orange center accents any floral arrangement of any color, including ones with a combination of lavender, roses, marigolds and more.
6. Mums
Mums always provide some fun to a flower arrangement. They come in numerous colors, including yellow, bright orange, deep red, purple or pink. It’s not difficult to find the right color to match.
7. Allium
This flower is shaped like a ball and comes in orange, pink, magenta, purple and other shades. The texture adds “pop” to any floral arrangement.
8. Bellis Perennis
They often come in yellow and sometimes orange. You’ll see them in other colors too, such as pink, and it offers an alternative to the standard daisy.
9. Bells of Ireland
It’s one of the alternatives to ferns, which may seem too common and boring. Its unique shape resembles bellflowers but has the color green that complements purple flowers.
10. Ornamental Kale
The dark green of this foliage makes purple roses and bright purple or lavender wildflowers stand out.
11. Iris
Irises come in a multitude of shades, including blue, white and yellow hues that pair well with purple flowers.
Do purple flowers attract bees?
Yes, and the coneflower (Echinacea) is one that attracts bees the most. The Allium, iris, grape hyacinth and catmint are some more.
Are purple flowers rare?
In contrast to other colors, such as white or yellow, they could be considered rare. However, there’s at least 100 varieties, and that’s just counting the most popular ones. They’re not that rare.
Related: Flower Tire Planter Ideas | Wheelbarrow Flower Planter Ideas | Bicycle Flower Planters | Types of Urban Gardens
