Top 9 Purple Perennial Flowers (With Photos)

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If you want to add a touch of sophistication to your garden or landscape with some purple perennial flowers, this article is for you. 

Below, we have compiled a list of different purple flowers, each with unique characteristics. 

Some are SO cute and exotic-looking, ideal for decorative elements; others are versatile, low maintenance, with soothing fragrances. 

You have about 9 of them to choose from.  

Top 9 Purple Perennial Flowers

1. May Night Salvia (Salvia x sylvestris ‘May Night’)

I’m NEVER in doubt of “May Night” Salvia’s aesthetic qualities! 

They are visually appealing and dynamic plants with deep violet-blue flowers that pop into any garden. 

Their foliage texture is a plue to adding depth and complexity to your outdoor aesthetics. 

They also have such an extended Bloom Period, typically in zones 4 to 8. 

May Night Salvia are also low maintenance and are drought-tolerant once established. Pollinators will occasionally visit your May Night Salvia to milk them, whether bees, butterflies, or hummingbirds. 

Many gardeners use them for companion plants as they are versatile. They will tolerate different soil structures and make beautiful cut flowers, too. 

2. Lobelia (Lobelia erinus)

Lobelia offers numerous benefits, enough to consider planting it in your garden.

They produce vibrant, eye-catching flowers and come in a range of hues from blue, purple, red, pink, and white.

Lobelia flowers are also nectar-rich, so hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees always come around.

Their versatile growth habits make them an excellent choice as ground covers, borders, containers, or hanging baskets plants —although it depends on the species. 

3. Caradonna Salvia (Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’)

Their unique and captivating color combination stands out right away for “Caradonna” Salvia.

I won’t blame anyone for obsessing with the Caradonna for its dark, almost black, stems. This contrast makes the purple flowers pop even more.

They are also extended Bloomers that keep producing flowers from late spring to early summer. 

And since they are nectar-rich flowers, pollinators can’t help but lurk around. 

4. Lamium (Lamium maculatum ‘Purple Dragon’, Lamium purpureum)

Lamium maculatum will add color and interest to your landscape. 

One of the qualities I admire the most is that they can thrive in shaded spots where other purple perennials might struggle. 

Their attractive foliage is worth the watch and features stunning variegation with silver, white, or light green patterns —a mad contrast of visual interest to any garden.

Thanks to their wild-spreading growth, Lamium can help stabilize gardens that often suffer from erosion –though they carry on this duty effectively in Zones 4 to 9.

They also make good container plants –whether you want them hanging on baskets or pots. 

5. Allium (Allium spp.)

Alliums are another purple perennial flower to look out for. 

Their Striking globe-like flower heads add a massive Visual Impact to your garden. The shapes and vibrant purple colors will make a bold statement.

But Alliums also come in various colors, from purple, pink, white, to even yellow. 

They are also long-lasting bloomers that bloom in late spring to early summer to help fill a gap in your garden’s seasonal color palette.

Furthermore, Alliums are deer and rodent-resistant but are attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

6. Larkspur (Consolida ajacis)

Larkspurs are easily recognizable for their towering flower spikes, diverse colors, and cottage garden appeal. 

They are also attractive to pollinators and are widely used as cut flowers, perennials, and annual options. 

They thrive in USDA growing zones 2 to 10 and can be mixed with other color varieties like blue and white. 

Aside from that, Larkspurs can tolerate full sun to part shade but love the soil, medium moisture, and well-drained. 

You CAN NOT downplay their romantic features that create a nostalgic garden atmosphere.

7. Petunia (Petunia x hybrida)

I remember having petunia once in my backyard. And it was fun. 

I enjoyed them in a container since I had limited garden space and a small outdoor area. But it was efficient for pots filled with petunias and Hanging baskets for balconies and patios.

They also go well for creating borders, edging, and focal points; they can socialize with other perennials to achieve visually stunning combinations.

I soon discovered Petunia are adaptable to different climates. They are both heat-tolerant and cold-tolerant, but you must find those varieties.

Petunia mostly thrive in Zones 10 to 11 and love their soil rich, moist, and well-draining. 

8. Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)

You will fall for the Columbine’s spurred petals that look like a group of delicate, elongated tubes or bells. 

They offer a dramatic visual appeal that is not only alluring to humans but to pollinators, too.

They also come in shades of yellow, blue, pink, red, and white. Mixing two or three shades with your purple columbine creates captivating and vibrant color schemes. 

On top of that,  Columbines are self-sowing flowers. They can drop seeds and establish new plants without your help.

This is a fascinating propagation that leads to the Columbine colony. 

They are exceptionally shade tolerant, thriving from partial shade or dappled sunlight, full sun, to more excellent conditions. 

9. Jackman’s Clematis (Clematis ‘Jackmanii’)

Jackman’s Clematis’s profusion of deep-striking, purple to violet-blue flowers makes it a popular perennial choice for most gardeners. 

You will appreciate the  4-6 inches in diameter flowers that are long blooming. 

Unlike most headstrong climbing vine, the Jackman’s Clematis is easy to care for and maintain. 

You can train them to grow on arbors, fences, trellises, or sprawl over other perennials or shrubs. 

They love full sun but can tolerate partial, so long as the soil is well-draining. You MUST prune out dead or weak growth regularly to stimulate fresh ones.  

Is Perennial A Permanent?

Permanent, as in lasting forever? 

Hell NO! 

Perennial plants aren’t immortal. They only have a longer life cycle compared to annuals and biennials. 

If a plant is perennial, it can live for more than two years and keeps producing flowers and foliage in many growing seasons.

However, perennials have their prime or peak value.  

 I don’t know how long, but over time, their lives begin slipping away — experiencing vague changes in growth, flowering, and growth.  And could eventually die due to environmental stress, disease, or growing conditions.  

Their longevity depends on the species, how you care for them, the growing conditions, and the climate. But some perennials can live up to decades, while others don’t.

What Is The Rarest Color Flower In The World?

The rarest color flower in the world is elusive blue. Generally,  blue is one of the rarest colors in the plant kingdom. 

How many blue flowers have you seen on a regular day? Almost none! 

Even if you do, it is likely to be shades of purple, violet, or lavender that is blue-esque 

That is because the naturally occurring TRUE blue pigments in flowers are uncommon. 

Instead, the Anthocyanins —the pigments in flowers responsible for producing blue, red, and purple color —tend to produce red and purple hues more readily than TRUE blue. 

This is why blue flowers are SO scarce and highly sought after.

What Are The Most Fragrant Purple Flowers 

Not all purple flowers scent well. If you are considering adding a couple of delightful fragrances to your garden, these options will serve the purpose; 

  • Primrose
  • Lavender
  • Lilacs
  • Heliotrope
  • Sweet Pea
  • Bearded Iris
  • Hyacinth
  • Wisteria
  • Crocus
  • Violets
  • Bowles Mauve
  • Phlox Laura
  • Clematis
  • Purple Heart Roses
  • Purple Petunias
  • Nicotiana
  • Pansy
  • Stocks
  • Verbena
  • Russian Sage
  • Geranium
  • Butterfly Bush
  • Catmint

NOTE: Scents are subject, and factors such as climate and growing conditions could affect it. 

But these are the most popular purple flowers with the most fragrance. 

The intensity and character could also vary, so conducting a scent test firsthand is imperative before planting them in your garden.

Longest Blooming Perennial Flowers?

Perennial flowers will bloom, rewarding your garden with a vibrant hue that replishes its curb appeal. 

However, not all perennial flowers are all-year-round bloomers or keep producing flowers throughout the growing season.

But here are few exceptions: 

1.  Astilbe

2. ‘Autumn Joy’ Stonecrop (Hylotelephium’Herbstfreude’)

3. Wood Betony (Betonica officinalis ‘Hummelo’)

4. Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

5. Bleeding Heart ‘Luxuriant’ (Dicentra formosa)

6. Catmint (Nepeta racemosa)

7. Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

8. Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’ (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’)

9. Geranium ‘Rozanne’/ Cranesbill (Geranium ‘Gerwat’ Rozanne)

10. Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)

11. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

12. Ornamental Onion ‘Millennium’ (Allium ‘Millennium)

13. Perennial Salvias (Salvia x Salvia nemorosa, sylvestris, Salvia farinacea)

14. Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

15. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) 

16. Shasta Daisy (Leucantheum x superbum)

17. Sneezeweed (Helenium)

18. Spiked Speedwell (Veronica spicata)

19. Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)

20. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Conclusion

So that is all for purple perennial flowers. 

Purple is an eye-catching Color that adds a pop of interest to your garden by itself or by complementing other colors. 

YES, the above selection can balance and contrast your garden’s monotony of green foliage. 

Aside from that, some of them welcome Pollinators, which helps promote the biodiversity in your garden.

Some are Long bloomers with aromatic qualities and can be used in various garden styles. 

The choice is yours! 

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