46 Beautiful Purple Perennial Flowers to Grow in Your Garden 

As you’ll see in this list, there’s an incredible variety of purple flowers with different shapes, sizes, and shades of purple. So there’s something for every gardener! There are some very powerful and bold purple flowers, as well as some dainty and delicate flowers.

Even if you’re not necessarily lacking a purple flower in your garden, you’ll see with the examples in this list how beautiful purple flowers are and how they can complement other plants in your garden or home landscaping.

Plus, the bold color of many of these flowers make them magnets for pollinators! From deep indigo hues, to powerful bright purple, to soft periwinkle colors, these purple perennial flowers are sure to be stunning in your garden.

1. intro flower

Contents

What Does Perennial Mean?

First, let me explain quickly what perennial means if you’re not aware. Perennial, in the context of gardening, just means that the plant will live for several years. Specifically for flowers, this means the flowers will come back each year.

There are many types of plants that flower in the spring or summer, then die in the winter- and these are called annuals. This is because their life span is just a year long, so if you want them in your landscape, you need to regrow them each year.

Purple Perennial Flowers

All of the flowering plants in this list can withstand winters, so they will continue to live and flower every year. There’s a range of life spans, but all of the following live for several years and won’t need to be replanted often. Let’s get into it!

Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

2. phlox

Phlox bushes bloom in mid-summer and have these gorgeous blooms through fall up to the first frost, and they’re quite cold hardy. These bushes grow to their best, at 3 feet tall, in full sun.

They grow in many varieties, commonly also seen with light pink and white flowers. These colorful blooms attract tons of pollinators, and also deer! Keep an eye out for deer as they’re known to be especially drawn to these flowers.

Vervain (Verbena stricta)

3. vervain

Vervain is a flowering shrub that can grow up to 4 or 5 feet in height as long as it gets enough sun. These bushes are native to North America and their dainty flowers can be found in purple, yellow, red, or white. They’re also deer resistant!

German Bearded Iris (Iris germanica)

4. german bearded iris

Irises also come in many varieties with many colors, as they’re low maintenance flowers that grow well in many climates. They can grow as far North as zone 3 and are happy with partial or full sun and are also deer resistant- very resilient! These flowers grow to 3 feet in height and bloom in early spring.

Bear’s Breeches (Acanthus mollis)

5. bears breeches

The tall spires of this plant grow to 3 feet in full sun. They’re very hardy plants that will make a bold statement year after year, as you can see here they have a strong presence. The flower petals are white with dark, mauve colored centers and purple foliage.

Monkshood (Aconitum napellus)

6. monkshood

These beautiful flowers are great for cultivating a fall garden, as they don’t bloom until late summer or even September. The leaves begin to open up in late summer and continue to bloom all throughout the fall months.

One thing to note is that this plant is entirely poisonous and causes a nasty skin reaction if touched to bare skin- although, this does keep deer away! Thankfully, this flower grows to 4 feet tall, so you can plant it at a safe distance but still enjoy its blooms.

Tatarian Aster (Aster tataricus)

7. tartarian aster

This flower can grow up to an impressive 6 feet tall, all on its own, not needing a stake or trellis. While its gorgeous flowers attract many pollinators, monarch butterflies in particular love this flower’s nectar. They also grow very easily, just needing full sun and are very cold hardy.

False Indigo (Baptisia australis)

8. false indigo

False indigo is an early bloomer, coming out around mid Spring, although it unfortunately doesn’t bloom for a very long time. However, this plant is deer resistant, so you don’t have to worry about deer cutting its bloom even shorter. It grows up to 3 feet and is cold hardy.

Russell Blue Lupine (Lupinus ‘Russell Blue’)

9. russell blue lupine

Despite having “blue” in its name, as you can see, these flowers have a rich purple hue. Lupines all have the same structure, but come in many colors such as pink or white.

These tough flowers bloom in late spring and, especially being deer resistant, bloom all summer long. This plant is especially cold hardy and is likely to be found in further north regions.

Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata)

10. clustered bellflower

These flowering vines are both deer resistant and cold hardy, so they’re sure to be a long-term addition to your garden. When given full to partial sun, their blooms last all summer long and attract many pollinators.

Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

11. blazing star

This purple perennial is super appealing to add to your garden if you’re looking for something interesting and a bit different- you can see their unique spines with fluffy tops. The blooms begin at the top and consecutively bloom down the spine, so they bloom all summer long.

They’re also deer resistant and cold hardy, native to North America and grow well in all parts of the U.S.. Give them full sun and they’re good to go!

Salvia (Salvia nemorosa)

12. salvia

These skinny blooms grow up to 18 inches and last all summer long, especially if you deadhead them. They generally prefer drier and warmer climates, but there are many varieties that are cold hardy, as this plant has varying levels of hardiness.

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum ‘Blue Fortune’)

13. anise hyssop

As you might’ve guessed, this is the plant that the spice Star Anise comes from. So naturally, the plant has the same licorice scent to it. The strong licorice taste actually makes it deer resistant, although pollinators still love its blooms. This plant is a little less hardy and prefers zones 5 and south.

Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

14. mistflower

This pale purple perennial with puffy bloom is a North American native that blooms at the end of the summer. It’s not as cold hardy and prefers slightly warmer regions and full sun. But, it’s deer resistant and generally very low maintenance, spreading so fast that it’s sometimes considered an invasive species!

Spike Speedwell (Veronica spicata)

15. spike speedwell

These long spires of blooms grow to about a foot in height and can be found in many different colors. Although deer resistant, these flowers are prone to powdery mildew and care should be taken to avoid this disease. However, there are less vulnerable varieties.

Pikes Peak Beardtongue (Penstemon x mexicali ‘Pikes Peak Purple’)

16. pikes peak beardtongue

The name Pikes Peak actually comes from the impressive Pikes Peak mountain in Colorado Springs where it can be found, as in the picture above! The bell-shape of these flowers is perfect for pollinators, as they love to nestle themselves into the flower to collect pollen.

They aren’t as cold hardy, but are still very easy to care for, only needing well-draining soil and full sun.

Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

17. woodland phlox

These light purple blooms actually love shade, so could be perfect for that one shady spot you’d like to fill! They bloom early in the season- around when Tulips bloom- and only last for a few weeks, making them a spring treat.

Phlox blooms only grow to about 6 inches in height, are cold hardy, deer resistant, and prefer drier soil. They’re also native to North America and there’s a good chance you could come across them while out hiking in the springtime.

Purple-leaved Spiderwort (Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Queen’)

18. purple leaved spiderwort

This plant has both tiny, pale purple flowers and purple foliage, that’s a win-win! It’s not very cold hardy and grows much better in the southern regions. Although, it only grows to a foot in height, so it could be a nice houseplant! Otherwise, it’s great for ground cover outdoors.

Lalla Aster (Symphyotrichum x ‘Lalla’)

19. lalla aster

The difference between this variety of Aster and the other one earlier in this list is that this plant has a little more of a shrub shape to it, although it’s quite small. The Lalla Aster grows to only one foot in height and spreads rather wide. This North America native is a late bloomer, coming out in August or September.

Purple Dome (Aster novae-angliae)

20. purple dome

This is another variety of Aster, except this one has a much stronger color. It’s called Purple Dome because this variety grows in the shape of a bush and is covered with little flowers that have a stronger, zesty purple color come late summer. The strong hue of the Purple Dome attracts many pollinators, but is not tasty for deer.

Lavender (Lavandula species)

21. lavender

Of course, I’m not going to forget Lavender, one of the most well known purple perennial flowers. While you surely know its lovely scent for oils and desserts, you might not be so familiar with the plant. Lavender plants produce tiny purple flowers that sprout from the buds that are used for their scent.

This plant is a favorite amongst pollinators yet is deer resistant because of its strong scent. It does best with full sun and well-draining soil. There’s many types of lavender with varying hardiness levels and colored flowers, and you should look for the variety that best suits your area.

Creeping Speedwell (Veronica x ‘Waterperry Blue’)

22. creeping speedwell

This wide-spreading plant only reaches to a few inches in height and is therefore really great for ground coverage. The Speedwell flowers are only in bloom for a few weeks, but this plant is so low maintenance that it’s very much worth it. As long as this plant has full sun, it will do well as its deer resistant and very cold hardy.

Lungwort (Pulmonaria species)

23. lungwort

These early Spring bloomers are content with partial to full shade, as long as they receive enough water. As you can see in the picture, their foliage is spotted, sometimes much more than you can see here, and it’s really very pretty. There are several varieties with pink or white blooms as well.

Millenium flowering onion (Allium ‘Millenium’)

24. millenium flowering onion

These orb-shaped flowers are a yummy choice for many pollinators, but are deer resistant. The blooms last for a couple of weeks, but will last longest if they have full sun. This flower is less hardy and prefers warmer climates.

Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris)

25. pasque flower

These flowers are early bloomers, given Pasque deriving from  Easter. While the flowers don’t last all season long, the foliage that produced after the blooms resembles ferns and is very beautiful. These flowers do best with full to partial sun and well-draining soil.

African daisy (Osteospermum)

26. african daisy

These colorful flowers grow up to 3 feet in height, as they like full sun and they like to be seen! Some varieties are a darker purple than shown here, while some have a lighter pinkish petal color.

African Daisies bloom in mid summer and continue to shine into the fall months. As the name implies, they’re from southern Africa, so they only grow in warmer climates and prefer less frequent watering.

Blue Bonnet (Lupinus)

27. blue bonnet

Blue Bonnets are iconic indigo-violet colored flowers that grow in the southern U.S., and they’re actually the state flower for Texas! As someone who grew up in Texas, I remember well seeing the Blue Bonnets pop up every spring and turn into fields of violet.

They grow very quickly up to 2 feet, as long as they have full sun. They’re also not hardy and will only grow in the southern U.S., but this also means they’re drought resistant.

Butterfly bush (Buddleja)

28. butterfly bush

The Butterfly Bush gets its name from the crowds of butterflies that swarm it every summer- I can attest to this. This year we had a really nice, full bush and the backyard was like a butterfly garden! Lots of bees and hummingbirds as well.

These bushes love full sun and when they’re thriving, they can grow up to 15 feet! Their are also some varieties with multi-colored flowers.

Catmint (Nepeta)

29. catmint

There really couldn’t be a better name for this plant- it’s a part of the mint family and produces mint leaves similar to peppermint. It’s also a favorite of cats, giving them a similar buzz that they get from catnip.

This plant is very resilient and has no problem growing up to 3 feet in height. It’s deer resistant, cold hardy, like partial or full sun, and well-draining soil- and is very tasty! You can use this plant the same way you would use the more common peppermint leaves.

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)

30. chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemum bushes bloom in late summer if not early fall, but are well worth the wait. These plants grow up to 3 feet tall and when in bloom, are covered in these gorgeous flowers that come in many colors. Note that they’re not cold hardy above zone 4 and require regular watering.

Clematis (Clematis)

31. clematis

Clematis is actually a flowering vine, and it can be found in many colors from light pink, white, reddish pink, or mixes- there’s over 300 varieties! This vine can climb up to 30 feet in height when given enough sun and space. It is also known to re-bloom in late July or August.

Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

32. coneflower

Coneflower is best known for its medicinal values, like immunostimulatory and anti-inflammatory, both qualities great for treating illnesses. It’s native to North America, but doesn’t do well in areas with heavy rains or humidity. It grows to 3 feet tall and blooms in early Spring, attracting lots of pollinators.

Coral Bells (Heuchera)

33. coral bells

These tiny North America natives grow just to 16 inches, making them great for ground cover. In fact, they like to grow in partial shade and actually prefer slightly acidic soil. There are many different varieties, some with dark purple foliage as well.

Dahlia (Dahlia)

34. dahlia

Dahlias are very well known flowers, mostly because there are so many varieties with different colors, so you can find them in almost every garden. Some varieties can even grow up to 7 feet tall! They can also grow in every region of the U.S., they just require more water in the drier areas.

Dalmatian Bellflower (Campanula portenschlagiana)

35. dalmatian bellflower

This wide-spreading plant only grows to 6 inches, a natural ground cover plant. It’s very cold hardy and is sure to come back each year with its light purple perennial flowers.

Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.)

36. daylily

These gorgeous flowers have rich colors that blend together like the sunset, in fact, some varieties of daylily are red and orange and actually look like sunsets in flower-form. However, these flowers are not technically in the Lily family.

Give these flowers full sun and they’ll grow super quickly. They’re not very cold hardy and are annuals in the northern regions, but they grow well in warmer regions, where they are drought and flood resistant.

False Aster (Boltonia)

37. false aster

These little flowers look a lot like Daisies or Aster flowers, but are actually neither. False Aster has a slightly rounder center, but has similar petals and also can be found in many colors. This plant loves full sunlight and moist soil, and blooms in late summer to early fall.

Greek Valerian (Polemonium caeruleum)

38. greek valerian

Greek Valerian is a smaller flowering bush, growing only to 2 feet tall. Although you can’t see in this photo because there’s so many together, the stems of these plants look like tiny ladders, and it’s sometimes called “Jacob’s Ladder.”

Hardy Geranium (Geranium bohemicum)

39. hardy geranium

Hardy Geraniums grow to a modest 1-1.5 feet and can be found in many different colors. You shouldn’t plant these too deep in the ground, because the flowers won’t be able to push up so far. You can also cut back the blooms in mid summer for a second bloom in August.

Hydrangea (Hydrangea)

40. hydrangea

A landscaping classic that you likely know, Hydrangeas catch everyone’s attention with their large bushes and huge clusters of flowers. Each of those round balls is composed of tons of smaller, delicate flowers. These bushes grow quickly, so much so that it requires pruning to keep from flopping over.

Hibiscus (Rosa-sinensis L.)

41. hibiscus bush

Hibiscus flowers grow on large bushes that love full sun. There are many different colors you can find for Hibiscus bushes, and they all produce gorgeous flowers that can be used for teas or medicinal syrups.

Leading Lady Plum (Monarda didyma)

42. leading lady plum

Also called Bee Balm, for the way it attracts pollinators, this plant is native North America. It likes several hours of full sun per day, and is deer resistant.

Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis)

43. lenten rose

These beautiful flowers actually love shade and when they’re comfortable, they grow up to 1.5 feet. Despite the name, they’re not related to rose bushes at all, as you can tell by their looks.

May Night Sage (Salvia sylvestris)

44. may night sage

With full sun, these skinny spires grow up to 3 feet with blooms on the top several inches. They are fairly cold hardy and when mature are drought resistant.

Meadow Row (Thalictrum)

45. meadow row

This is a gorgeous, compact flowering shrub that grows to 3 feet tall, very similar to Columbine flowers if you know those. This shrub really prefers moist, humus rich soil.

Periwinkle (Vinca minor)

46. periwinkle

Delicate little periwinkle flowers prefer to grow in partial or even full shade, and are especially pest resistant. Great for ground cover, they grow to 16 inches in height, but spread very quickly.

Pick Your Perennial

After seeing so many options for purple perennial flowers, I really hope you’ve found at least one that caught your eye. I think so many of these are gorgeous and most of them are low maintenance perennials that you can enjoy year after year.

Also, the majority of these purple perennials are cold hardy, so there’s plenty of options for whatever region you’re in. All you need to do is pick your perennial and start planting!

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