Purple blooms can offer a touch of elegance, mystery, and tranquility when choosing flowers for your garden. From soft lilac hues to deep, rich plums, purple flowers can quickly become the stars of your landscape. What makes them even more appealing is opting for native species-plants that have evolved in your region, adapted to the local climate, and require less maintenance than non-native varieties. Native purple flowers can enhance your garden's beauty, promote biodiversity, and support local wildlife. Let's dive into the beauty of native purple flowers and explore the best choices to plant in your garden.
Why Choose Native Plants?
Before we discuss specific plants, it's essential to understand why native plants are the better choice for gardeners. Native plants thrive in your region's climate, needing less water and attracting local pollinators like bees and birds, promoting a healthy ecosystem.
Purple native flowers, in particular, offer a range of colors, heights, and bloom times, ensuring that your garden remains vibrant from spring to fall. Whether you're looking for ground covers, tall perennials, or something in between, there's a purple native plant for you.
Top Native Purple Flowers for Your Garden
Liatris spicata (Blazing Star)
Liatris spicata, commonly known as Blazing Star, is a tall, spike-like flower that brings a bright pop of purple to any garden. Its vivid purple blooms attract bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds, making it an excellent addition to pollinator-friendly spaces. Native to North America, this plant prefers well-drained soil and full sun. The blooms appear in mid-summer, providing a vertical accent to your garden with its feathery flowers that rise above its grassy foliage.
Once established, Blazing Star is drought-tolerant, and its long-lasting blooms make it ideal for garden beds and cut flower arrangements. Its tuberous roots help the plant survive in dry, sandy, or rocky soils-perfect for low-maintenance gardening.
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
Perhaps one of the most iconic native purple flowers, the Purple Coneflower is a garden staple that provides beauty and resilience. With large, daisy-like flowers and a prominent orange-brown center, Echinacea purpurea is eye-catching and highly beneficial to local wildlife. It thrives in various soils and is drought-tolerant once established, making it perfect for gardens with inconsistent water availability.
Purple Coneflowers bloom from mid-summer to fall, creating a long-lasting display of color. Its seeds are a favorite of songbirds, especially goldfinches, who will flock to your garden in the late summer and early fall. This perennial also has a long history of medicinal use, known for boosting the immune system.
Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot)
Bee Balm is a must-have for any native garden, particularly if you want to draw pollinators. Its light purple, fragrant blooms are known to lure bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making it a favorite in pollinator gardens. Native to much of North America, Wild Bergamot flourishes in different conditions, from full sun to partial shade and moist to dry soils.
Wild Bergamot blooms from mid-summer to early fall. Its aromatic leaves can also be used to make tea, adding a practical dimension to its beauty. Its clump-forming habit makes it an excellent choice for filling garden borders or naturalizing areas.
Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox)
For a splash of purple in late summer, Garden Phlox is a fantastic choice. Native to the eastern and central United States, this perennial produces fragrant flower clusters ranging from light lavender to deep purple. Phlox paniculata grows well in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil.
This plant is beloved by gardeners not only for its beauty but also for its resilience. It attracts a variety of pollinators and is resistant to mildew, a common problem with other Phlox species. Garden Phlox makes an excellent cut flower and can be used in mass plantings or as a striking focal point.
Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio Spiderwort)
With its unique three-petaled flowers and bright yellow stamens, Ohio Spiderwort adds a pop of blue-purple to your garden in the spring. This clump-forming perennial is native to the Midwest and eastern United States and thrives in moist, well-drained dirt in shade to full sun.
Tradescantia ohiensis is relatively low-maintenance and deer-resistant, making it an excellent choice for naturalized gardens or woodland edges. The flowers are particularly striking in the morning when they open, closing later in the day. Though short-lived, each bloom quickly replaces another, ensuring a continuous show of color.
Iris versicolor (Blue Flag Iris)
Native to wetland areas, the Blue Flag Iris brings a striking violet-blue shade to water features, rain gardens, or areas with consistently moist soil. Iris versicolor is perfect for gardeners who introduce native plants to wetter parts of their landscape. Its sword-like foliage adds texture to the garden, while the large, elegant flowers bloom from late spring to early summer.
This iris thrives in full sun to partial shade and can tolerate brief periods of standing water. It's also an excellent plant for attracting pollinators, including bees and butterflies while providing shelter for small wildlife around pond edges.
Viola sororia (Common Blue Violet) For a low-growing ground cover, Common Blue Violet is an excellent choice. Native to much of North America, this delicate purple flower carpets forest floors and open fields in early spring. Viola sororia is a vigorous plant that can succeed in various situations, from full sun to deep shade, and is tolerant of moist or dry soils.
While its blooms are short-lived, they appear en masse, creating a stunning purple carpet. The flowers are edible and often used as garnishes, adding another layer of interest to this humble yet beautiful plant.
Creating a Purple Native Flower Garden
When planning your purple-themed garden, consider mixing different heights, bloom times, and textures to create a dynamic and diverse space. Grouping tall plants like Liatris spicata in the back of the garden or along fences can provide structure, while mid-height plants like Purple Coneflower and Wild Bergamot fill the center. Low-growing species like Common Blue Violet or Ohio Spiderwort can serve as ground covers or border plants, helping to create a cohesive look.
Incorporating native purple flowers elevates the aesthetic appeal of your garden and supports the local ecosystem by supplying sustenance and protection for pollinators and other wildlife. Choosing plants well-suited to your region will create a low-maintenance, sustainable garden that thrives year after year.
Purple blooms have long been treasured for their beauty, and when native species are used, they offer even more benefits. From attracting local pollinators to thriving in your regional climate, native purple plants like Blazing Star, Purple Coneflower, and Wild Bergamot can create a stunning, low-maintenance garden. Whether you're looking to naturalize a meadow or add a pop of coloring to your garden beds, these native species will ensure your garden is as functional as it is beautiful.
