Flowers come in various colors and patterns, though few are as eye-catching and versatile as purple. From soft, subtle shades to bold, bright options, you can find a shade to match your taste, mood, and style. It’s also simple to pick a few to match the rest of the plants in your garden, fitting these beauties wherever you have space. If you’re looking for some new flora options, consider these 20 purple flowers to brighten up your garden. All of the below flowers are great choices for both indoor and outdoor gardens.
African Daisy
With lovely flat petals surrounding darker disk-like centers, African daisies look like a classic version of this flower with more vivid coloring. These plants grow quickly, so you don’t need to wait long to see those striking purple blooms.
These annuals need rich, well-draining soil mixed with compost to ensure they have the nutrients required to thrive. They need lots of sun to bloom and are somewhat drought-tolerant, preferring slightly damp soil.
Allium
Being part of the onion flower, Allium are both beautiful and oftentimes edible.It produces elegant stalks topped with a sphere of tiny purple flowers that attract pollinating insects to your yard. The colors range from light to deep purple depending on the variety, though you can also find pinks and blues to mix things up.
Allium is tolerant to drought and cold, so it’s easy to care for. It prefers slightly acidic, well-draining soil, infrequent watering, and full sun.
Aster
Asters are versatile plants, with 600 species ranging in size. You can choose dwarf asters for containers or along borders, or choose larger varieties for areas with more space. As well as the lovely purple daisy-like flowers, they come in blue, pink, red, and white so you can add several options for a beautiful wildflower garden.
As cold-hardy perennials, asters thrive in the late summer and early fall, attracting butterflies and other pollinators to your yard. They prefer part or full sun and well-draining soil kept moist throughout the growing season.
Balloon Flower
Balloon flowers are native to China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Their unique name comes from the shape of their buds, which are round and puffy before opening up into star-shaped flowers. They should be planted in the spring for the lovely violet blooms to fill your garden in the summer.
To care for balloon flowers, plant them in rich, loamy, well-draining soil where they’ll get at least six hours of sunlight each day. They also like moderate moisture but not soggy soil and can handle short dry spells.
Bell Heather
Bell heather gets its name from the purple bell-shaped flowers clustered along the twig-like stems. The plants are shrubs, so they grow low to the ground, fitting well among other plants. They resist pests, deer, and drought, and are low-maintenance, making them a fantastic choice for beginner gardeners.
Plant bell heather in soil mixed with clay, loam, or sand. It should be well-draining and acidic for the best results. These shrubs also require full sun, average water, and slow-release fertilizer during their growing season.
Catmint
Catmint is also called catnip and may attract feline visitors to your yard. If you can handle these stealthy trespassers, catmint is a gorgeous addition to any garden. The long stems produce silvery-purple floral spikes with a minty scent.
Catmint isn’t picky about its growing conditions or soil pH levels, so you can grow it almost anywhere. It is drought-tolerant, so it needs well-draining soil and infrequent watering after its first year. Morning sun and afternoon shade are best for catmint to thrive.
Cattleya Orchid
Though typically houseplants, Cattleya orchids can handle outdoor growth in warmer climates or northern regions during the summer. They usually only bloom once a year, though the large attractive blooms are well worth the effort. As well as purple, there are pink, red, blue, orange, white, and yellow varieties available.
Cattleya orchids are a bit picky, preferring a well-draining orchid mix and bright, filtered sunlight. They only require water when the soil is completely dry and rarely need fertilizer.
Gloxinia
With large, velvety flowers and soft dark-green leaves, it’s likely no surprise Gloxinia is related to African Violets. The difference is that these plants originated in Brazil and bloom in the spring. They have also been cross-bred to create unique striped or double flowers that stand out among other blooms.
Purple Gloxinia flowers aren’t difficult to grow, requiring neutral well-draining soil and enough moisture to keep it damp, though they hate getting their leaves wet. Gloxinia hates direct sunlight, so partial or full shade is best.
Heliotrope
Heliotrope is a perennial shrub originating in Peru, though it’s now found throughout the world. The plant is bushy, with soft, deep green leaves and clusters of tiny flowers emitting a strong, vanilla-like fragrance. These plants only reach about 2 feet and are perfect for small spaces or container planting.
Despite its tropical origins, heliotrope prefers plenty of morning sunlight but shade in the afternoon to prevent scorching the delicate flowers. Rich, loamy, well-draining soil and lots of moisture will ensure the plant grows healthy and strong.
Honesty
Though most known for its translucent seed pods, the clusters of deep purple flowers on Honesty’s long stems are a fantastic addition to any garden. It only blooms every two years, though, so patience is crucial to reap the rewards this plant has to offer.
Also called Moonwort, Money Plant, or Silver Dollar, Honesty requires well-draining soil and full sun. Water it regularly, though don’t saturate the soil. If planting Honesty outdoors, take cuttings in the fall to replant in the spring.
Lavender
Lavender is known for its relaxing scent, though its purple flowers are as pretty as they are aromatic. As well as making a lovely addition to your yard, you can use the flowers and leaves of some varieties for teas, cold drinks, meat dishes, or desserts.
Dry conditions are best for lavender, including sandy well-draining soil, full sun, and minimal watering. It doesn’t need fertilizer or any other additions to the soil to thrive, so leave it be.
Lilac
For spring blooms, lilac is a magnificent choice. The flowers grow in bunches on the end of thin stalks, surrounded by leaves ranging in color and size depending on the variety. Lilac is best known for its lovely fragrance, though the flowers are also edible, making delightful additions to beverages or desserts.
Lilac bushes require at least six hours of full sun each day to encourage blooms. They also like rich, loamy soil with good drainage and moderate moisture. Pruning is also essential for lilacs for proper airflow and more flowers.
Lily Of The Nile
Lily of the Nile features a cluster of small, magnificent flowers atop a long stem. Their flowers range from blue to purple on stalks of about 4 feet, making them fantastic options for vase cuttings or bouquets. They prefer warmer climates, so in cold regions, they are best grown indoors.
These plants prefer full sun, though they need some shade in hotter regions. They also like rich, well-draining soil and small amounts of water. Fertilize Lily of the Nile in the spring to encourage blooms.
Monkshood
Also called Wolf’s Bane, Monkshood is poisonous, so must be handled with gloves and is best kept away from pets or children. If you’re careful, the flowers, which resemble a monk’s hood, grow along the tall stem, adding an elegant touch to your garden.
Monkshood is a bit picky with its conditions, preferring damp, well-draining soil and partial shade. Water them a couple of times a week and fertilize them when their blooming season is over.
Moonflower
The moonflower is the perfect option for night owls since its blooms only open after the sun goes down. The plant consists of vines with prickly stems, dark heart-shaped leaves, and trumpet-shaped purple or white flowers. It needs a trellis or other climbing area to thrive, rewarding you with its strong, yet relaxing, fragrance.
For those blooms to grow, moonflowers need full sun during the day. They also like well-draining soil with a neutral pH and about an inch of water each week. During its growing season, a high phosphorus fertilizer will encourage healthy development.
Passion Flowers
The blooms of a passion flower stand out in any garden due to the wide flat petals at the base, thin filaments above them, and intricate stamen in the middle. Some varieties also produce fruit, though the flowers alone are more than worth the care. Passion flowers are vining plants, so a trellis to climb is vital.
These plants like well-draining soil, though they prefer it kept moist at all times. They also require warmth, medium to high humidity, and partial to full sun. When grown outdoors, protect them from the wind to prevent damage to the delicate stems.
Salvia
Salvia is in the mint family, though the ornamental variety is also related to sage, but this perennial isn’t edible. The small, tubular, purple flowers grow along the length of the tall stalks. They attract hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators, so are as beneficial as they are beautiful.
These plants are easy to care for, requiring light soil with good drainage and neutral pH. They like full sun or partial shade and are drought-tolerant, so infrequent watering is best. Avoid fertilizing salvia to prevent weak, leggy stems.
Sweet Pea
Originating in the Mediterranean, sweet pea is a vining plant that loves to climb trellises or fences. It is easy to care for and grows quickly, sprouting clusters of colorful flowers shaped like fringed butterflies with a light scent resembling honey and orange blossoms.
For sweet pea to thrive, it needs slightly alkaline, well-draining soil enriched with compost kept moist but not soaked. It also loves full sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon. You may also want to add fertilizer high in phosphorus or potassium and a bit of bone meal to encourage long stems and plenty of blooms.
Verbena
For blooms from spring to fall, verbena is a colorful addition to any garden. Though few species have a scent, the elegance of the petite star-shaped flowers is more than worth the missing fragrance. Verbena blooms from spring to fall, with varieties ranging in size to fit any garden.
To ensure such a long flowering season, give verbena eight to ten hours of sun. The plant isn’t picky about soil, as long as it’s slightly acidic and drains well. Verbena is drought-tolerant for short periods, though it prefers about a half to an inch of water a week.
Wishbone
Wishbone flowers get their name from the shape of the stamens in the center of each flower. Though there are a few color options, the primary species features dark purple trumpet-shaped flowers perfect for brightening the shady areas of your yard.
Rich, loamy, well-draining soil with a neutral pH is best for wishbone plants. Keep it damp but not soggy or the flowers won’t bloom. Wishbone also likes morning sun and afternoon shade and temperatures of about 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit with minimal humidity.
