Purple flowers are one of the easiest ways to make your garden stand out. From soft lavender hues to deep violet blooms, these plants add rich color, attract pollinators, and bring a lush, romantic feel to any outdoor space.
While some of our favorite purple flowers are spring bloomers—think lilacs, lupine, and wild violets—there are plenty of flowers that carry the color through summer. Ahead, we rounded up some of our favorite purple flowers to grow in the summer, complete with names, photos, and light requirements to help you choose the right ones for your garden.
Whether you’re looking for low-maintenance picks, long-lasting color, or flowers that will attract butterflies and bees, these purple blooms deliver.
Do you have a favorite summer-blooming purple flower? Let us know in the comments.
1. Bellflower
These bell-shaped blooms grow in both white and bluish-purple varieties, but the latter is most common. They enjoy well-drained soil and plenty of sunshine.
- Full sun to part shade
- Blooms late spring to summer
- Perennial
- Pollinator-friendly
2. Lavender
Use this sun-loving plant along walkways or garden paths where you can really enjoy its scent. Ranging from less than 1 foot to more than 3 feet tall and wide, these small shrubs will also supply you with raw materials for divine-smelling lavender crafts and recipes.
- Full sun
- Blooms in summer
- Perennial
- Pollinator-friendly
Get the Guide: How to Grow and Care for Lavender Plants
3. Salvia
You can't beat salvia for a low-maintenance flower in sunny beds. They are drought-tolerant once established, and there are many varieties that bloom in purple shades.
- Full sun
- Blooms late spring through fall
- Annual or perennial, depending on variety and hardiness zone
- Pollinator-friendly
4. Petunias
These tough little blooms can thrive in all sorts of climates. Perennial in some areas, they are a popular annual throughout the U.S., especially as outdoor hanging plants for baskets and sunny window boxes. In very hot climates, afternoon shade can help them continue blooming through peak summer heat. Purple-flowering varieties range from the deep purple ‘Royal Velvet’ to the softer plum-pink ‘Bordeaux’ to the striking speckled ‘Night Sky’.
- Full sun; in hot climates, provide afternoon shade
- Blooms late spring through first frost
- Annual
- Pollinator-friendly
Related: How to Grow and Care for Petunias
5. Stokes’ Aster
Hailing from the Southeastern U.S., this drought-tolerant member of the daisy family is a good nectar source for butterflies. Good news for cooler climates—it is cold hardy as low as USDA Zone 5. Purple varieties range from ‘Riptide,’ a pretty periwinkle shade, to ‘Colorwheel,’ with blooms that turn from white to mauve with age.
- Full sun
- Blooms in the summer; deadhead spent flowers to encourage new blooms.
- Perennial
- Pollinator-friendly
6. Purple Coneflower
Also known as echinacea, coneflower can grow up to five feet tall and prefers average to poor soil—overly rich soil can lead to fewer blooms. This favorite perennial, with its purple-pink flowers, is native to the central and eastern U.S. and attracts bees and other pollinators to your garden.
- Full sun to part shade
- Blooms early to late summer
- Perennial
- Pollinator-friendly
7. Verbena
With many species to choose from, verbena offers something for almost every garden—but the North American native blue vervain (Verbena hastata) stands out for its tall, airy spikes of purple flowers and natural, meadow-like look. It adds height and movement to beds and borders and is especially attractive to bees and butterflies. This native prefers moist soil but can tolerate short periods of drought once established.
- Full sun to part shade
- Blooms mid to late summer
- Perennial (varies by species)
- Pollinator-friendly
