Purple-flowered plants add depth and often a touch of class to garden colour schemes, and pair with a wide range of other coloured plants, from whites and pastels to hot reds and orange flowers. The colour purple is also extremely attractive to bees and other pollinators, which many species of bee and butterfly can see better than other colours such as red. Purple flowered plants like foxgloves, teasel, globe thistle and alliums are excellent pollinator plants.
For a striking pot or border display, try combining purple flowers with the acid greens of Alchemilla mollis, or euphorbias like Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae. Red poppies and orange kniphofias would also work well here.
For a more classic look, combine different shades of purple flowers with pink, blue and white-flowered plants.
After a long winter, we are all eager to see some color return to our gardens. And few colors represent the joy and rebirth of spring better than purple. From pale lavender to deep violet these early blooming purple flowers will add elegance and cheer to your landscape.
In this article, we will look at 15 of the best purple flowering bulbs, perennials and annuals that bloom in early spring.
Why Grow Purple Flowers in Spring?
There are several reasons to add purple blooms to your spring garden
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Royal Color – The rich hues of purple symbolize royalty, luxury and ambiance. They stand out against the earth tones of early spring.
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Spring Joy – Seeing purple crocuses and hyacinths emerging signals the end of winter’s gloom. Purple evokes a sense of happiness and excitement for the season ahead.
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Design Impact – Purple makes an eye-catching contrast with popular pastel spring flowers like daffodils, tulips and pansies. It adds depth and sophistication.
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Pollinator Magnet – Many bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to purple blooms. Planting spring flowers in this hue will draw pollinators to your garden when food sources are still scarce.
So let’s look at some of the best options for early season purple blooms.
Top 15 Purple Spring Flowers
Here are 15 of my favorite purple flowering plants that will brighten up your garden in early spring:
1. Crocus
Crocus bulbs produce cup-shaped blooms in late winter, often while snow still covers the ground. They naturalize readily, creating cheerful drifts of color. Popular purple varieties include:
- Ruby Giant – Large, deep purple with orange stamens
- Pickwick – Pale purple with yellow centers
- Flower Record – Dark purple with vivid orange stamen
2. Hyacinth
The cone shaped flowers of hyacinths produce a lovely fragrance. For early blooms, choose mini varieties which grow just 6 inches tall. Purple options include:
- Blue Jacket – Violet-blue
- Blue Festival – Pale purple
- Amethyst – Deep purple
3. Grape Hyacinth
Grape hyacinth (Muscari) blooms in tight clusters resembling tiny grapes. It does well in shade and complements other spring bulbs when planted together. Good purple picks:
- Valerie Finnis – Light purple with white tips
- Blue Spike – Vibrant royal purple
- Blue Magic – Dark inky purple
4. Anemone
Both the spring flowering corms and tubers produce daisy-like purple blooms. They have an ethereal, whimsical quality.
- Anemone blanda – Star-shaped flowers on 6 inch stems
- Anemone coronaria – Poppy-like blooms on taller 18 inch stems
5. Iris
Bearded iris start blooming in early spring and come in many shades of purple. Some top choices include:
- Caesars Brother – Classic yellow and violet combo
- Batik – Deep purple with white and yellow accents
- Immortality – Pale lavender blooms
6. Allium
The round flower heads of ornamental allium add great structure to the spring garden. Popular purple varieties include:
- Gladiator – Huge 10 inch diameter globes
- Violet Beauty – Compact 10 inch tall blooms
- Purple Sensation – Vibrant, violet-purple 4 inch flowers
7. Lilac
A springtime favorite, lilacs produce an abundance of sweetly scented blooms. Compact varieties work well in small spaces. Top purple picks include:
- Sensation – Single purple flowers with white edges
- Bloomerang Dark Purple – Reblooming dwarf lilac
- Miss Kim – Compact bush with lavender blooms
8. Columbine
Columbines provide an ethereal elegance with their bell-shaped blooms. They come in single or double forms. Good purple varieties include:
- Black Barlow – Double dark purple
- Mrs. Nicholls – Pale lavender and cream
- Purple Granny – Vivid violet single blooms
9. Aubrieta
Also known as rock cress, this low growing perennial cascades beautifully over walls or edges. It blooms prolifically in spring with purple flowers.
- Royal Purple – Deep purple flowers
- Red Cascade – Rich violet-red tones
10. Bellflower
Bellflowers offer petite, bell or star-shaped blooms in early spring. Good purple choices are:
- Carpathian Harebell – Lavender-blue
- Sarastro – Violet with white edges
- Birch Hybrid – Purple-blue trailing bellflower
11. Pasque Flower
Pasque flowers produce unique blooms in early spring on short 4-6 inch stems. The lavender, pink or purple flowers have prominent yellow centers.
12. Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)
This hardy spring bulb produces dense clusters of tiny bell-shaped blooms resembling grapes. It does well in shade. Popular purple varieties include:
- Valerie Finnis – Delicate light purple flowers with white tips
- Blue Magic – Inky purple almost black blooms
- Blue Spike – Vibrant royal purple flowers
13. Corydalis
Both the tubers and seeds of this fern-like perennial produce purple blooms. Species to try include:
- Corydalis cheilanthifolia – Feathery foliage with violet blooms
- Corydalis solida – Vibrant purple flowers atop 6 inch stems
14. Primrose
Primroses provide some of the earliest flower color, blooming when snow still dusts the ground. Purple varieties include:
- Belarina Amethyst Ice – Fully double purple blooms
- Juliana Violet – Vibrant purple flowers on 6 inch stems
- Drumstick Primrose – Lavender globe flowers
15. Pansy & Viola
These popular cool season annuals can be planted in fall or early spring for an instant pop of color. Top purple picks include:
- Matrix Violet – Large violet pansy blooms
- Sorbet XP Delft Blue – Pale purple viola with yellow center
- RebellionTM Violet – Vibrant purple violas
Get a Jump on Spring With Purple Flowers
As you can see, there are lots of early blooming purple perennials, bulbs and annuals to choose from. Incorporating some of these beauties into your spring garden design will give you a regal start to the season.
The rich hues of purple will complement other pastels like yellow, pink and white. And provide an elegant contrast to emerging greens.
So try adding a few of these purple spring bloomers to your landscape for a touch of royalty this year. They are sure to uplift your spirits after a long winter!
Grape hyacinth[image id=”82275″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Grape hyacinth flowers” alt=”Grape hyacinth flowers” classes=””] Grape hyacinth flowers
Grape hyacinths (Muscari) are small, spring bulbs with purple-blue flowers. They’re perfect for growing at the front of a border, naturalised in grass or in pots. Grow in moist but well-drained soil in sun to shade.
H x S: 15cm x 15cmFlowers: April
Perennial wallflower[image id=”90517″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” title=”Purple flowers to grow – perennial wallflower” alt=”Purple flowers to grow – perennial wallflower” classes=””] Perennial wallflower ‘Bowles’s Mauve’
Perennial wallflowers, such as Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’, are beautiful and floriferous, woody-stemmed perennials, bearing masses of mauve flowers on tall spires, for months on end. In southern regions, it flowers all year round.
H x S: 45cm x 50cmFlowers: May to Nov
Henbit-The purple flowering weed that just LOVES the early spring…
FAQ
What are the purple flowers that bloom in early spring?
Crocus. Announcing the departure of winter with lovely pink, purple, yellow, or white petals, crocuses are one of the best early spring flowers.
What are the purple flowers in the fields right now?
The two most responsible for purple patches in fields are henbit and purple deadnettle. Both grow close to the ground, and can produce thick patches of cover.
What are the purple ball flowers in spring?
Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ bulbs produce plants with reddish violet balls 4–5″ across, borne on 20–30″ stems in late spring. This is the earliest of the large-flowered Alliums and also among the most affordable.
What crop has purple flowers in the spring?
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Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule):This winter annual, a member of the mint family, is a common sight in fields and gardens, known for its distinctive purple flowers that emerge in early spring.
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Purple Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum):Another member of the mint family, purple deadnettle is a winter annual that also produces purple flowers, often appearing alongside henbit in fields and gardens.
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Grape Hyacinth (Muscari):These early spring bulbs produce clusters of small, fragrant, purple flowers.
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Allium (Onion Family):Some alliums, like Allium schubertii, feature striking, spherical clusters of purple flowers in late spring and early summer.
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Salvia:Many ornamental salvias, like Salvia ‘Purple and Bloom’, have tubular, purple flowers that can bloom from spring to autumn.
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Lilac (Syringa):Lilacs are known for their fragrant, clustered, purple flowers that bloom in the spring.
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Wisteria:Some wisteria varieties, like Wisteria sinensis, produce long, fragrant clusters of purple flowers in the spring.
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Verbena:Certain verbena species, like Verbena rigida, produce masses of purple flowers from summer to autumn, but some can also bloom in spring.
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Coneflower (Echinacea):Purple coneflowers, such as Echinacea purpurea, bloom from late spring to early fall, offering a late-season display of purple flowers.
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Anemone:Some anemone species, like Anemone coronaria, bloom in the spring, producing flowers in shades of pink, red, and purple.
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Phacelia:This plant is a cover crop that has beautiful purple flowers, which attract insects for pollination.
When do purple flowers bloom?
Some of the most popular early spring purple flowers come from bulbs. While they bloom in the spring, these bulbs should be planted in the fall. So you’ll need to add them to your list for ordering later in the season. Crocus are one of the earliest blooms to break through the snow crust in late winter.
What flowers are purple?
‘Fuji’ is the most common, but they’re rarely purple. But for purple flowers, try to look for ‘Double Blue,’ ‘Astra Double Blue,’ and ‘Apoyama’ cultivars. Bee Orchids are the only one of its kind that can self-fertilize. The bee orchid has one of the most distinctive blooms in the plant world. Each purple flower has four petals.
What are the most beautiful flowers in the spring?
Some of the most beautiful flowers to see in the spring are those with a purple hue. We prefer to look at multiple purple flowers in the early spring. Here are our top picks: 1. Salvia Nemorosa, 2. Stachys Monieri, 3. Ophrys Apifera, 4. Solanum Dulcamara, and others.
How do you know if a flower is purple?
Check the bloom time, since some may flower later in the season. Purple varieties: ‘Halo Violet’ – dark purple with bright yellow center. Buy it HERE. ‘Halo Sky Blue’ – periwinkle purple with bright yellow centers. Buy it HERE. ‘Northern Lights’ – vibrant purple flowers with yellow and orange centers. Buy it HERE.
What are the best purple flowers?
The best varieties for purple flowers include ‘Floristan Violet’ and ‘Kobold’. Blue False Indigo is one of the hardiest perennials that can become a garden decoration for decades to come. Blue false indigo is a member of the pea family. It has deep violet, blue, or purple flowers.
How do you know if a hellebore is a purple flower?
: Fragrant purple flowers that turn toward the sun, known for their sweet scent. : Prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Keep soil moist, but avoid overwatering. Remove dead flowers regularly to promote continuous blooms. 58. Hellebore : Large purple flowers that bloom in early spring, often before many other plants.