All enthusiastic DIY gardeners will know adding bright colors to their gardens can make a huge difference. Fortunately, there are enough differently-colored flowers to meet every gardener’s specific aesthetic demands. Purple-colored flowers, specifically, can do wonders when added to a garden landscape.
Purple perennials are a great way to add a dash of vibrance to your garden without the need for too much maintenance. These plants do not need replanting, hence saving you time and money.
To help all DIYers get the right plants for their garden landscape, we have listed down 17 of our favorite purple perennials.
1. Bellflowers (Campanulas)
Bellflowers are charming flowers, including almost 300 species of perennials. These flowers make an excellent choice for beds and borders in cottage gardens or rock gardens, where their effect can be amplified.
Other than the beauty they add to any space, these flowers are low-maintenance. However, their biggest drawback is the ability to spread vigorously since they can crowd out the less vigorous companion plants.
For effective flower production, ensure these flowers get full sun and well-drained soil with moderate moisture. Besides this, you can grow the flower in soils with any pH value.
A few species specific to different garden landscaping plans are:
- Carpathian bellflower for wall crevices and in troughs
- Serbian bellflowers for border fronts
- Clustered bellflower for beds and borders
Bellflowers are hard to beat when it comes to floral display, and make stunning backdrops and vertical accents in a garden.
2. Corydalis
Belonging to the poppy family, this plant has multiple medicinal properties. It bears tube-shaped blossoms with fernlike foliage and comes in a variety of colors, including purple. However, since these purple perennials can be invasive, you should stick to specific varieties like “Dieter Schacht”.
They look best when planted in informal gardens, with a little trimming and thinning required to keep them in shape. You can even plant them in partially shaded beds and borders or as ground cover under shade trees. In the end, the delicate foliage of these plants helps to soften the look of a landscape.
It is important to remember that this plant will grow better from seedlings rather than the seed itself. Moreover, not much effort is required to transplant the seedlings when and if required.
Wait no more, and select a suitable species from the variety of low-maintenance corydalis to add to your garden landscape.
3. Vervain
Vervain has been known since ancient times for its healing properties. But this plant does more than just heal. It makes a perfect flower for garden landscaping, with its pale lilac, five-petalled flowers, and delicately jagged leaves. Although these flowers look magnificent, they are not recommended for people looking for scented flowers as vervain is scentless.
The best part about this perennial is that it is a hermaphrodite, which means that it can self-pollinate. This allows the plant to grow fast and attract a large number of butterflies and moths. Irrespective of this, it does not spread extensively and will not be considered invasive.
With their main flowering season being either summer or autumn, these flowers take the shape of a cup when in full bloom. To ensure a healthy blooming period for your plant, grow it in moist, well-drained soil.
Bonus Read: Not sure what the soil type in your garden is? Check out these soil test kits to get help.
4. German Bearded Iris
This is another one of the purple perennials that do magnificently in flower beds. It has bulbs that produce flowers with draping petals called falls, while the foliage is upright and sword-like.
German bearded iris would best compliment green borders, sunny courtyards, and urban gardens where the vibrant colors can mix with the stones and hardscaping. Taller iris plants make a lovely backdrop, while the smaller ones can be planted in containers for a better appeal.
One important thing to maintain the health of this plant is regular fertilization using a phosphorous fertilizer. Besides that, even division of the rhizomes would be beneficial to avoid borer problems.
5. Tradescantia
Tradescantia is among the most commonly grown houseplants in the world. They come in a huge gradient of colors, including green, red, white, yellow, and lastly, purple. While they can be planted outdoors too, they have the propensity to become invasive. To get the best results from a tradescantia, plant them in a hanging basket to increase their attractiveness.
The leaves of this plant are ovate and clasp the stem at the bottom. When planted indoors, you may see tiny three-petalled lavender-purple flowers grow on the plant. Surprisingly, it is not the flowers that make this plant attractive but the leaves. Additionally, the foliage has an interesting variety, including green, white, and purple leaves with white stripes at the base.
Usually called spiderwort, these plants can grow year-round and require little maintenance. Also remember, to see the brightest color intensity of the foliage, plant it in an area with full sunlight.
6. Geranium
One of the most famous and fragrant flowers, geraniums are great indoor purple perennials. They are available in a wide range of foliage, scent, color, and types, with over 300 species. Still, a few varieties of geranium remain among the most popular choices to plant. These varieties are:
- Zonal geraniums are the classic geraniums with single or double blooms in pink, white or red
- Regal geraniums are a delicate variety that features large multicolored blooms
- Ivy geraniums have shiny leaves resembling ivy and create mounds of cascading flowers
- Scented geraniums have leaves with a velvety texture and scent, but they don’t bloom as much as the other varieties
Planting these as companion plants or individually in hanging baskets is bound to look magnificent!
7. Salvia
Salvia belongs to the mint family, thus explaining its strong and pleasant scent. This scent is the main factor why bees and hummingbirds are attracted to salvias. Besides being known for their magnificent scent, salvias are known for their long bloom period, which stretches from late spring into fall.
These drought-tolerant plants appear as a colorful spike of densely populated flowers with pipe-like blossoms and velvety leaves. As for the size of these plants, they can grow anywhere between 14-48 inches, depending on their variety.
Picking the correct spot to plant your salvias can make a huge difference in their growth. Sunny spots with good drainage soil work best for salvias, along with mulching to maintain soil temperature and moisture consistency.
8. False Indigo
Member of the pea family, false indigos are stunning purple perennials that need little effort to produce amazing results. When mature, the long-lived plants form bushy clumps 3-4 feet tall and broad. The trifoliate leaves are alternating and obovate, with a light blue-green color. Until it dies down to the ground in the winter, the foliage remains beautiful all season.
Before new shoots emerge, it is advisable to cut the stems back to the ground in late fall, winter, or early spring. In mid to late spring, approximately a month after the leaves emerge, foot-long, lupine-like spires of blue, pea-like blooms appear.
Flowering lasts just a few weeks, and the stems can also be used as a cut flower. All in all, we recommend choosing from a variety of white to mild or strong blue cultivars when it comes to this plant.
9. Purple Aster
Matching daisies in appearance, these flowers bloom in late summer or early fall. Further on, the versatility of this plant is worth appreciating, considering it can be used in different garden landscapes. A few examples are borders, rock gardens, and wildflower gardens.
Purple asters have a color that makes them particularly stand out, thus planting them with lighter shades like yellow will produce a stunning effect. Mass planting purple asters is another great option to make your garden look beautiful.
Purple color is supposed to have a calming effect on our nerves. Thus, making these asters a great plant option for your meditation garden or any corner of the yard you would go to for some peace. A few options of asters for this purpose are aromatic asters, alpine asters, and heath asters.
10. Russel Blue Lupine
When planted in large groups, Russel Blue Lupine provides a stunning show. These purple perennials bear stunning hues of blue, closely packed, sweet-pea-like blooms from bushy mounds of soft green leaves. This stunning design will turn your garden border into a serene blue sea.
These 3-foot tall spikes even make a great option for background planting arrangements. But this plant requires regular upkeep.
It does best in partial shade to full sun and needs average to evenly moist conditions. However, Russel Blue Lupine cannot tolerate standing water. Thus you should avoid instances of overwatering.
11. False Aster Boltonia
Boltonias are hardy perennials known for their white, lilac, or purplish-pink rays and yellow disc blooms that emerge from grey-green foliage. Their robust character lends itself to naturalization. They’re also wonderful in the border and for cutting, but they’ll need to be divided frequently to stay in check and may also require some pruning.
The blooms of the plant are countless and bring life to the garden even after many plants begin to shut down after a long blooming season. This late-season showstopper is best grown from seedlings and nursery-grown transplants. But, you can even plant it directly from the seed in spring.
A few sought-after varieties of Boltonia are Jim Crocket, Pink Beauty, and Snowbank. We suggest planting these with other flowers to enhance the beauty of Boltonia.
12. Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums belong to the Compositae family and come in a variety of vibrant colors, shapes, and sizes. It was first cultivated in China about 6 centuries ago as a plant linked with the force of life. These sturdy plants are accentuated with lush, dark green foliage, and the chrysanthemum blooms range from brilliant whites to rich bronzes.
Although chrysanthemum blooms appear to have many petals, each petal is essentially a tiny floret. Ray florets and disc florets are the two kinds of florets. The petals are made up of ray florets, while the central buttons are made up of disc florets. All the florets clustered together form what is popularly called a mum bloom.
This plant has a shallow-rooting habit making it perfect for containers and baskets. Since chrysanthemums are not expensive, they even make a great option for large groupings or repeating in an area.
Bonus Read: Check out these beautiful landscape border ideas to add chrysanthemums to.
13. Purple Sedum
Purple sedum is a hybrid plant known for its striking color and foliage. It produces stunning deep purple leaves and clusters of light pink flowers, making it a great option for garden borders. Moreover, they provide color and contrast to rock gardens and beds, and look astonishing when planted in groups.
This plant even provides winter-interest by maintaining its beautiful foliage during the winter months. However, old foliage should be pruned away to encourage new spring growth.
Sedums are tough, hardy plants known for their habit of growing in poor soil and between rocks, thus making them low-maintenance.
14. Purple Reblooming Daylily
Another one of the purple perennials, reblooming daylilies are one of the longest blooming daylilies. The plant produces plumy purple flowers with ruffled edges and elongated, blade-like leaves. However, its most peculiar characteristic is its blooming period. Each flower lasts no more than 24 hours, thus giving the name daylily.
Purple daylily is often called the perfect perennial due to its immaculate properties, including drought tolerance, heat stress immunity, and low care requirements.
Use it as shrub borders, on slopes, or in containers, and it will thrive in most environments once planted.
15. Bergenia
Best planted in shaded spots, Bergenias are bound to add life and vibrance to any dull-looking, shaded area in any DIYers garden. To elevate the appearance of your home, you can even bed these up against your house.
Bergenia plants are vigorous without being invasive, thus making it one of the best features. On top of that, these plants are low feeders, helping you reduce the usage of fertilizer.
Add this disease-free and non-demanding plant to your garden landscape, either in the form of mass plantings or ground cover for a beautiful look.
16. Thalictrum
Thalictrums, sometimes known as meadow rues, are appreciated for their delicate blooms, airy growth habit, and glaucous leaves. They range in size from small alpine species to 2-meter-tall border perennials. But, they may be planted in either sun or shade as long as the soil is wet. This isn’t always the case, so make sure to verify the growth needs before making a purchase.
These purple perennials showcase one of the most exquisitely textured flowers and foliage. To illustrate, the blooms have petal-like sepals, while the pistils appear in shades of white, pink, yellow, or violet.
Thalictrums are well-suited to growing in herbaceous borders, providing a casual, informal air to your planting design, thanks to the floaty character of the blooms.
17. Monkshood
Most commonly found in mountain meadows and through the northern hemisphere, this perennial herb makes an excellent ornamental plant. Unfortunately, this plant contains a high level of toxins making, it an unfavorable option for planting in homes with children and pets.
Keep in mind, a few symptoms of poisoning from monkshood include nausea, headache, vomiting, slow pulse, and foaming in the mouth.
If you plan on growing monkshood irrespective of the danger, you should remember to propagate the plant from seeds instead of seedlings.
Conclusion
Perennials are amazing plants that come back repeatedly each year without requiring much effort from you in return. The wide varieties of purple perennials might be confusing when choosing what to grow in a garden landscape. Not to mention, the differences in appearance, requirements, and their preferred location make it all the harder to choose.
This list is meant to solve all such problems for DIY gardeners and make your path to growing purple perennials clearer.
Bonus Read: You cannot complete any gardening task without a spade or shovel. Read this article to understand their different uses.