Bushes With Purple Flowers

If you’re looking to add a splash of lasting color to your garden, bushes with purple flowers are a perfect choice. Their vibrant and eye-catching blooms can create stunning focal points and bring a sense of depth and richness to your landscape.

Purple flowering shrubs offer incredible variety, from soft lavenders to deep, royal violets. They attract pollinators, provide structure, and many are surprisingly low-maintenance. This guide will help you pick the right ones and care for them so they thrive for years.

This category includes shrubs of all sizes and for all climates. Whether you need a small border plant or a large statement piece, there’s a purple-flowering bush for you. The key is to match the plant’s needs to the conditions in your specific garden.

Top Picks for Your Garden

Here are some of the most reliable and beautiful bushes with purple flowers, known for their performance and visual impact.

Lilac (Syringa): A classic favorite, lilacs are known for their fragrant cone-shaped flower clusters that bloom in mid to late spring. They prefer cooler winters and full sun.
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii): As the name suggests, this bush is a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds. It produces long, arching spikes of flowers from summer to fall and loves full sun. Note: Choose sterile cultivars to prevent invasive seeding.
Hydrangea (Bigleaf varieties): Some hydrangeas, like the popular ‘Nikko Blue,’ produce large mophead blooms in shades of purple. The color can often be influenced by soil pH, with more acidic soils enhancing blue-purple tones.
Rhododendron & Azalea: These evergreen or deciduous shrubs offer spectacular blooms in spring. They prefer dappled shade and acidic, well-drained soil. Many varieties come in exquisite purple shades.
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia): While technically a sub-shrub, its wispy, lavender-purple spikes and silvery foliage add airy texture and color from mid-summer into fall. It’s drought-tolerant and loves sun.
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia): Smaller cultivars like ‘Purple Magic’ or ‘Velma’s Royal Delight’ offer stunning purple panicles all summer long, along with attractive exfoliating bark.

How to Choose the Right Purple Flowering Bush

Picking the perfect shrub involves more than just flower color. Consider these factors to ensure your plant is happy and healthy.

Your Climate Zone: Always check the USDA Hardiness Zone for a plant. A lilac won’t thrive in a hot, humid southern zone without a winter chill, just as some tropical shrubs won’t survive a frost.
Sunlight Needs: Does your chosen spot get full sun (6+ hours), part sun, or full shade? Most flowering shrubs need ample sun to bloom their best.
Mature Size: It’s easy to underestimate how big a bush will get. Measure your space and choose a variety that fits at its full size to avoid constant pruning.
Bloom Time: Think about when you want color. By selecting bushes with staggered bloom times, you can enjoy purple flowers from spring right through to autumn.

Planting Your Shrub for Success

Proper planting gives your bush the best possible start. Follow these steps for a strong, established plant.

Timing is Key: The best time to plant is usually in early fall or spring, when temperatures are mild. This allows the roots to establish without the stress of extreme heat or cold.
Dig the Right Hole: Dig a hole that is two to three times wider than the plant’s root ball, but no deeper. The top of the root ball should be level with or slightly above the surrounding soil.
Prepare the Roots: Gently loosen the roots if they are pot-bound. For balled-and-burlapped plants, remove any wire or synthetic burlap after placing in the hole.
Backfill and Water: Backfill the hole with the native soil, gently tamping it down to remove air pockets. Water thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots.
Mulch Generously: Apply a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch, like wood chips, around the base. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the main stem to prevent rot.

Ongoing Care and Maintenance

Once planted, a little consistent care goes a long way. Here’s what your purple flowering bushes will need from you.

Watering: Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season. Once established, most shrubs are somewhat drought-tolerant, but they’ll bloom better with consistent moisture during dry spells.
Fertilizing: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this can lead to lots of leaves but few flowers.
Pruning: Pruning needs vary greatly. A general rule is to prune spring-flowering shrubs (like lilac) right after they bloom. Prune summer-flowering shrubs (like butterfly bush) in late winter or early spring before new growth starts.

Common Problems and Solutions

Even with great care, you might encounter an issue or two. Here’s how to handle common problems.

Lack of Blooms: This is often due to insufficient sunlight. Too much nitrogen fertilizer or pruning at the wrong time (removing flower buds) can also be the culprit.
Powdery Mildew: A white fungal coating on leaves. Improve air circulation, water at the base (not overhead), and choose resistant varieties. Neem oil can help treat mild cases.
Leaf Yellowing: Can indicate overwatering, poor drainage, or nutrient deficiency (like iron chlorosis in alkaline soils). Test your soil to diagnose the issue accurately.
Pests: Aphids or spider mites may appear. A strong spray of water from the hose often dislodges them. For persistent problems, insecticidal soap is a effective treatment.

Design Ideas for Using Purple Flowering Shrubs

Think about how to integrate these stunning plants into your overall garden design. Purple is a versatile color that can create different moods.

Create a Focal Point: Use a large, specimen shrub like a ‘Black Knight’ butterfly bush as a standalone centerpiece in a garden bed.
Plant a Hedge: Use medium-sized, dense shrubs like purple-leafed Loropetalum to create a vibrant, flowering privacy screen.
Mix and Match: Pair purple flowers with complementary colors. Yellow coreopsis or white Shasta daisies make purple pop. For a sophisticated look, combine with silver foliage plants.
Attract Wildlife: Plant a grouping of purple-flowering shrubs like Caryopteris or Buddleia to create a pollinator garden that buzzes with life all season.

FAQ About Purple Flowering Bushes

What are some good small bushes with purple flowers?
Excellent compact choices include ‘Blue Mist’ Caryopteris, dwarf Korean lilac (‘Palibin’), ‘Little Bonnie’ dwarf butterfly bush, and many small Rhododendron cultivars.

Which purple flowering shrubs do well in full shade?
Options are more limited, but bigleaf Hydrangeas (with morning sun) and some types of Rhododendron can tolerate partial to full shade. Always check the specific plant’s requirements though.

Are there fast-growing purple flower bushes?
Yes, butterfly bush (Buddleia) and some varieties of crape myrtle are known for their relatively quick growth rate, often adding several feet in a single season.

How can I make my purple hydrangeas stay purple?
The color in bigleaf hydrangeas is tied to soil pH. To maintain or encourage purple blooms, aim for a soil pH around 6.0 to 6.5. You can add garden sulfur to lower pH (more blue) or lime to raise it (more pink), with purple in the middle.

What bush has purple flowers all summer?
Butterfly bush, crape myrtle, and reblooming hydrangea varieties like ‘Endless Summer’ are known for their long bloom periods, often flowering from early summer right into fall with proper deadheading.

Adding bushes with purple flowers to your yard is a rewarding way to build a beautiful, lively garden. By selecting the right plant for your space and providing basic care, you’ll be rewarded with vibrant, eye-catching color that returns year after year. Start by visiting a local nursery to see these stunning shrubs in person and get advice tailored to your area’s conditions.