The color of royalty and elegance, we all need more purple in our lives. If you're a purple fanatic or just need more vibrancy in your daily life and garden, plant some of these purple flowering perennials and embrace the richness they bring. Use purple perennials for splashes of color in flower beds or as a statement flower along walkways, fences, arbors, and trellises. Or, if you're a committed purple-lover, plant an entire flowerbed with varying shades of purple flowers – with a broad range of options, this is easy to do! We love the idea of layering the shades of lilac, lavender, bright purple, and grape in one glorious display!
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Allium
Giant purple flower globes as big as your head, yes, please! For a truly spectacular display, get the "Globemaster" or "Gladiator" varieties which have the biggest flowerheads, 10" and 6-8" respectively. Allium is dramatic, to say the least. The flower orbs grow atop 3-4 feet tall spikes which tower above the green foliage. Each flower head is actually a dense cluster of hundreds of star-shaped six-petaled lilac-colored flowers. If you've been seeking a sensational easy-to-grow garden flower, this is the one. Hardy to zones 3-9, depending on the type.
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Clematis
Featuring large, bright showy blooms, vining Clematis looks stunning twining around an arbor or post. Clematis flowers come in many colors, and there are quite a few purple options. We love the vibrancy of "Fleuri," the silvery lightness of "Ilka," the richness of "Perrins Pride," and the absolutely stunning display of "Mrs. N. Thompson." Clematis vines climb upwards of 10-20 feet tall, depending on the cultivar, and bloom prolific huge flowers that cover the vine top to bottom at the peak of the season. It's quite a magnificent display. Clematis doesn't do sideshows; it steals the show and is the perfect way to cover up unsightly fencing or highlight a path or walkway. Clematis are hardy to zones 4-8.
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Verbena
While not particularly showy, especially compared to some of the other perennials on this list, Verbena makes up for it with its unbelievably long-lasting blooms. The sweet lavender-colored flowers are small and nicely fragrant, low-growing, and prolific. Verbenas are beloved by gardeners because of their very low maintenance needs, drought tolerance, and the way they attract butterflies. These charming flowers are lovely as a low border, along walkways, or intermixed with taller blooming plants. Verbena is hardy to zones 6-10.
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Delphinium
Six-foot tall spikes covered top to bottom with massive and bold deep purple or lavender blooms is a purple-lovers dream. Delphiniums are royalty, challenging to grow, and demanding of all the attention once they bloom. When you or your garden need to make a declaration, plant Delphiniums, and you won't be disappointed. "King Arthur," Purple Passion," and "Black Knight" are a few purple Delphiniums we treasure; there are many more! Hardy in zones 3-10.
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Asters
Looking like a hyped-up daisy, the multi-petaled, dynamically colored Aster is a garden classic. And, it shouldn't be overlooked. Aster flowers are rich purple or light lavender, featuring a bright yellow center with delicate white pistils reaching upwards. Asters bloom late compared to other flowers, providing late-season color to the garden and also providing an important food source for bees and butterflies. A swath of purple Asters is the highlight of the fall garden, right when we need splashes of color the most. We love these delightful little flower gems and know you will too. We recommend "Coombe Violet," Grunder," "Violet King," and "Wood's Purple." Asters are hardy to zones 3-8.
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Agapanthus (African Lily)
Flamboyantly purple and wonderfully exotic, Agapanthus is the epitome of royalty among purple perennial plants. The showy funnel-shaped flowers grow in rounded clusters on top of tall upright stalks, spreading out from a central point like a happy firecracker. For the most stunning purple flower display, choose the "Black Pantha," "Ever Amethyst," or "Midnight Dream." Best of all, these exquisite flowers are easy to grow, and even when not in bloom, the glossy, dark-green leaves are attractive. Agapanthus flowers are hardy in zones 8-11, and some cultivars are also hardy in zone 7. In cooler climates, you'll have to dig up the rhizomes for overwintering.
Bellflowers
These elegant bell-shaped flowers with flared petals are a showy, long-lasting perennial choice. Bellflower plants vary widely in height, ranging from 1-6-feet tall depending on the variety, and come in a wide range of colors. Of course, the purple bellflowers are the most stunning! The flaring flowers are delicate and prolific, growing intermittently along the upright stems above bright green foliage. "Purple Clustered" Bellflowers are our favorite, but we also appreciate "Sarastro" and "Coventry Bells." These flowers are hardy to zones 3-8.
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Wild Geranium
We all know the classic flower garden, florist's choice geranium, but have you seen the sweet purple blooms of the Wild Geranium? This is a low-growing native perennial with light lavender flowers that is ideal for the native or pollinator garden. Wild Geranium flowers appear singularly atop delicate stems, adding a wispy graceful element to the garden. The plants grow in low masses, and while each flower may not be spectacular, the green carpet of foliage with splashes of light purple is lovely. Native bees, honeybees, and beneficial pollinator insects love Wild Geranium. Hardy to zones 5-9.
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Purple Ice Plant (Delosperma)
When you want the whole ground to be covered with purple, get some Ice Plants. The small, sweet pinwheel shape of Ice Plant flowers combined with their low-growing habit makes them an excellent choice. They can be ground cover on their own or used to cover space between larger flowers and bushes. Ice Plants bloom for months, well into fall, providing a bright burst of color when many other flowers are fading. Hardy to zones 5-8.
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Purple Brocade Ajuga (Bugleweed)
Not showy in the usual way, Bungleweed's display is more muted but still wonderfully attractive. Bugleweed is a low-growing ground-hugging perennial featuring deep green glossy textured leaves with burgundy-purple edges. The flowers are blueish-purple, tiny, and grow on upright spikes above the short foliage. Bugleweed isn't a centerpiece, and it won't draw crowds, but its unique foliage and sweet little flowers make the perfect ground cover and add dimension and interest to the garden. Hardy to zones 4-8.
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Garden Phlox
This tall perennial comes in a variety of stunning shades of purple (as well as other colors). Garden Phlox grows in clumps and is valued for its long blooming season – it is covered with large purple blossoms from early summer through fall. The individual flowers are sweet and dainty and quite a sight to see as they grow in dense clusters atop 3-foot tall stems covered with deep green leaves. They look like billowy purple clouds floating above the plant. We love Garden Phlox for the bright punch of color it adds to the garden or yard, especially as other summer flowers are fading. Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies love the flowers, too. Some favorite varieties include "Purple Flame," "Flame Lilac," and "Laura." Garden Phlox is hardy to zones 3-9.
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European Pasqueflower
An absolute delight to see in the garden, Pasqueflower grows stunning purple flowers with bright yellow centers. It's the thin fuzzy leaves (opened seed-heads) arched out around it, though, that make it special, giving it an almost ethereal feeling. Pasqueflowers plants average 12" tall, and the flowers bloom on top of fuzzy green stems, much in the fashion of daffodils. The foliage is low-growing, lacy, and light-green, adding more attraction to the plant, even when not in bloom. Pasqueflowers are drought-tolerant and work beautifully as an edging or border plant. The American Pasqueflower is also purple and quite attractive, but it is not easy to get these native wildflower seeds. Hardy to zones 4-8.
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Hyacinth
A classic of the flower garden, Hyacinth never disappoints with its lush coloring and sweet scent. Hyacinths are spring flowers, lighting up the garden as soon as the weather turns remotely nice. While not a large plant, the Hyacinth more than makes up for it with its attractive clusters of color and prolific growth. They look best planted in groupings along borders, walkways, and in rock gardens. Plant Hyacinths near other spring flowers, like daffodils and tulips, for an attractive height and color contrast. Not all Hyacinths are purple; we like these richly colored options: "Miss Saigon," "Woodstock," and "Splendid Cornelia." Hardy in zones 4-8.
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Penstemon (Beardtongue)
Royalty among flower enthusiasts, there is always space in the garden for Penstemon. They're stately tall, produce dramatically colored flowers and bloom for months. The best thing about Penstemon, though, is that the trumpet-shaped flowers bring all the hummingbirds to the garden. When we plant Penstemon, we look forward to the prolific blooms as much as the many hummingbirds who visit to drink the nectar. Penstemon stalks reach up to 3 feet tall and are covered in narrow light-green leaves. The tubular flowers bloom in groups around the spire-stalk, drawing in crowds of appreciative eyes and happy pollinators. There are many color options for Penstemons; these are our purple-centric favorites: "Midnight," "Raven," "Pristine Lilac," and "Purple Tiger." Penstemon is hardy to zones 4-8.
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Wisteria
One of the most beautiful purple flower-producing plants, Wisteria requires commitment and understanding. This is a vining plant and an aggressive one at that. If you're up for it, you won't be disappointed! When this vine blooms, it literally overflows with clusters of sweet-smelling showstopping purple flowers. Not only are they prolific bloomers, but they also flower for months and fill the air with the most wonderful heady fragrance. Japanese Wisteria produces showier flowers but is much harder to contain. American Wisteria doesn't give quite the same flower show, although it is still stunning. The American vine is much easier to keep under control, so it's usually best to get this one. Whichever one you choose, plan out a trellis, pergola, or hand railing location ahead of time, and don't ever turn your back! Hardy to zones 3-8.
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Jacaranda Tree
Strictly a tree for warm climates, the Jacaranda produces prolific long-lasting violet flowers, creating the perfect purple canopy above the yard. Truly love-at-first-sight for most people who encounter this tree, it is only because it is tropical that more people don't have one in their yards. If you live in Florida or California, this one's for you! The violet-purple trumpet-shaped flowers aren't just gorgeous; they're also wonderfully fragrant. They grow in massive clusters, filling the whole width of the branches (often 25-40 feet wide), and are indeed the stuff of purple dreams. Jacarandas are hardy in zones 9b-11.
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We hope we've given you enough purple inspiration to get this colorful option into the flower garden, along walkways, and in the backyard. Even if you plant just a few purple perennials, that patch of color will bring life to the space in a way no other color can. It is a splash of royalty or regal grandeur stretching several feet tall, and even the smallest plants show off their purple flowers as if they are queens.
Pamela H Miller
Beautiful selection of plants