Types of Purple Perennial Flowers for Every Garden
Purple perennial flowers are a beautiful addition to any outdoor space or backyard offering vibrant hues and various sizes to suit every gardener’s needs.
Whether you’re looking for perennial bushes / shrubs with purple flowers, perennial small purple flowers, or perennial ground cover purple flowers, this guide will help you choose the perfect plants. Let’s get into the different categories and popular examples of these stunning purple blooms.
Related: Perennials With Yellow Flowers That Will Brighten Your Garden
Perennial Tall Purple Flowers
Perennial tall purple flowers are perfect for creating striking focal points in your garden. Here are five popular examples:
1. Delphinium
These stately plants can reach up to six feet tall, with spires of purple blooms that add height and drama.
2. Lupine
Known for their tall, spiky flowers, lupines come in various shades of purple and add a wildflower feel to gardens.
3. Foxglove
With tubular purple flowers, foxgloves can grow up to five feet tall and are highly attractive to hummingbirds and bees.
4. Iris
Known for their striking sword-like foliage and stunning purple flowers, Irises can reach heights of up to four feet and bloom in late spring to early summer.
5. Salvia
Salvia, also known as sage, is renowned for its fragrant, aromatic foliage, which releases a pleasant and refreshing scent when brushed against or crushed. This hardy perennial offers tall spikes of purple flowers that bloom from late spring to early fall.
6. Veronica (Speedwell)
Veronica plants can grow up to four feet tall, producing dense spikes of purple flowers. Bees and butterflies are particularly attracted to its blooms, making it an excellent choice for gardeners looking to support local wildlife and enhance pollination in their gardens.
7. Lavender
Known for its aromatic foliage and beautiful purple flowers, lavender is a versatile and popular garden shrub.
8. Majestic Alliums
These impressive plants produce large, spherical clusters of purple flowers atop tall, sturdy stems, often reaching heights of 3 to 4 feet, making them a dramatic addition to any garden.
Perennial Bushes with Purple Flowers
For those looking to add structure and color to their landscape, perennial bushes with purple flowers are an excellent choice. Here are some examples:
1. Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
This fast-growing purple perennial shrub with its fragrant flower clusters provide a rich nectar source, making it a magnet for butterflies and other pollinators.
Buddleia, or Butterfly Bush, can grow quite large, typically reaching heights of 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.6 meters) and spreading 4 to 15 feet (1.2 to 4.5 meters) wide.
2. Lilac
Lilacs are beloved for their fragrant clusters of purple flowers and can grow to be large bushes or small trees, reaching heights of 8 to 15 feet (2.4 to 4.5 meters).
3. Hydrangea
While not always purple, certain hydrangea varieties can produce stunning purple blooms under the right soil conditions of acidic pH and sufficient aluminum availability.
4. Rhododendron
With its large clusters of purple flowers, rhododendron adds a splash of color to shaded areas.
Perennial Small Purple Flowers
If you’re looking to add purple accents without overwhelming your garden, consider these perennial small purple flowers:
- Aubrieta: This low-growing plant produces masses of small purple flowers in early spring, perfect for rock gardens and borders.
- Campanula (Bellflower): With its charming bell-shaped purple flowers, campanula is ideal for edging and ground cover.
- Geranium (Cranesbill): Hardy geraniums offer a variety of purple blooms and are excellent for ground cover and borders.
- Phlox subulata (Creeping Phlox): This mat-forming perennial creates a carpet of small purple flowers in spring.
- Viola (Violet): Violets are small, delicate flowers that bloom in early spring and are perfect for woodland gardens and borders.
Summer Purple Perennial Flowers
Enjoy a vibrant garden all summer long with these perennial purple flowers that bloom throughout the season:
- Echinacea (Coneflower): Known for its daisy-like purple flowers, echinacea blooms from early summer to fall.
- Agastache (Hyssop): This plant produces spikes of purple flowers and is known for its aromatic foliage and long blooming period.
- Penstemon: With tubular purple flowers, penstemon blooms from late spring through summer, attracting hummingbirds and bees.
Perennial Ground Cover Purple Flowers
Ground cover plants are essential for filling in gaps and preventing weeds. Here are some purple-flowered options:
- Ajuga (Bugleweed): This fast-spreading ground cover produces spikes of blue-purple flowers in spring.
- Vinca minor (Periwinkle): With its glossy leaves and purple flowers, periwinkle is perfect for shady areas.
- Thymus serpyllum (Creeping Thyme): This fragrant ground cover produces small purple flowers in summer and is perfect for filling gaps between pavers.
- Lamium (Deadnettle): Known for its silver-variegated leaves and purple flowers, lamium is an excellent choice for shaded areas.
- Mazus reptans: This low-growing ground cover produces green foliage that quickly forms a dense ground-hugging carpet and masses of small purple flowers in late spring to early summer. They’re wonderful used between steps, pavers, and stones where they can tolerate light foot traffic and even benefit from an occasional mowing.
FAQs About Purple Perennial Flowers
Ajuga, also known as Bugleweed, is a great choice for a purple perennial flower that spreads quickly. It’s ideal for ground cover and produces beautiful blue-purple flower spikes in spring.
Echinacea (Coneflower) is a perennial flower that blooms all summer long. Its vibrant purple blooms can add color to your garden from early summer through fall.
Yes, Salvia is a purple perennial flower that is known for being deer-resistant due to its aromatic foliage.
Regular watering, proper fertilization, and deadheading spent blooms can ensure your purple perennial flowers thrive and continue to bloom beautifully.
Many purple perennial flowers thrive in full sun, including Lavender, Echinacea (Coneflower), Russian Sage (Perovskia), and Salvia. These plants not only tolerate but flourish in sunny conditions, making them perfect for bright, open garden spaces.
Overall, purple perennial flowers offer a range of options for every garden style and need. Whether you’re looking for tall purple flowers, bushes, ground covers, or summer-blooming varieties, there are plenty of choices to create a stunning outdoor space filled with vibrant purple hues. Happy gardening!
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