There are plenty of purple flowers growing in nature, both in the United States and around the globe. But what about dark purple flowers?
Whether you’re looking for some highly pigmented, dark purple flowers to brighten up your garden or home, or are just there to learn, you’re in luck! We have 18 types of dark purple flowers to show you today, and they’re all absolutely stunning!
Monkshood (Aconitum napellus)
Our first dark purple flower is Monkshood, also known as Wolfsbane. Monkshood is technically a herb that grows all year round in areas of well-drained but damp soil. Monkshood’s dark purple-blue flowers look very appealing, but every part of this plant is filled with toxins, including the deadly Aconitine. Monkshood actually gets its name from the shape of its flowers, which resemble the hoods traditionally worn by monks.
Salvia (Salvia)
Salvia is a member of the sage family, and while it also produces red and blue flowers, purple salvia is especially beautiful. Its name is Latin for “to heal”, which is fitting because the flower has antioxidant properties and there is ongoing research into salvia’s therapeutic potential regarding Alzheimer’s disease. Salvia flowers between May and November, but thrives in the summertime.
Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara)
Sometimes simply referred to as ‘Bittersweet’, this stunning dark purple bloom, adorned with bright red berries, is a member of the nightshade family. The leaves and berries of Bittersweet Nightshade are very poisonous. For this reason, this probably isn’t a plant most people would choose to cultivate in their gardens. However, it’s still beautiful to look at and good to be able to identify.
Cyclamen (Cyclamen)
Cyclamen is a perennial flowering plant that comes in a variety of colors, including white, pink, and red. However, purple Cyclamens are some of the most visually striking, especially when these hardy flowers push through the snow during winter! Cyclamen can grow both indoors and outdoors, but indoor Cyclamens tend to be of the tender variety.
Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis)
Wild Indigo’s flowers can range from light to dark purple. They are lovely to look at, but there’s more to this incredible plant than meets the eye! Wild Indigo is a medicinal herb, the root of which is often used to make various medicines. Baptisia australis features in treatments for influenza, malaria, and scarlet fever, to name just a few.
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Lilac is typically associated with a lighter purple shade, but Lilac flowers can sometimes bloom in more striking, dark purple shades. Purple Lilacs symbolize spirituality, while Lilacs as a whole represent renewal (because they bloom in the spring) and confidence. However, in the Old English tradition, Lilacs were thought to lure dangerous faeries into homes if brought inside…
Browallia (Browallia speciosa)
Browallia is sometimes known as the amethyst flower or sapphire flower because its flowers can be either blue or purple. This is another member of the Nightshade family, so just like Bittersweet, this plant is toxic – although it’s mainly a danger to pets rather than humans. Browallia grows perennially in tropical climates, but they are often grown elsewhere on an annual basis.
Crocus (Crocus sativus)
Crocuses come in a wide range of colors, from white to bright orange, but some of these perennial flowering plants grow dark purple flowers! The Crocus is a gorgeous bloom to have in your garden during the autumn or spring – there are two species of Crocus with different bloom times. However, be aware that Autumn Crocus is very toxic and can cause severe illness or even death in dogs, cats, and horses.
Mystic Merlin (Malva sylvestris)
Mystic Merlin, also known as French Mallow, can be either biennial or perennial. This is a very popular garden flower in the summer and fall seasons because of its lovely deep purple blooms. This striking flower grows best in full sun or partial shade – the flowers are more vivid when exposed to lots of sunlight. Mystic Merlin needs well-drained soil with medium moisture content.
Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)
Sweet Pea has grown annually in the United States, usually in the fall because the plant grows better in cooler soil. Common Sweet Pea colors are purple, red, white, and pink. Sweet Pea is a climbing plant that can grow up to 2 meters tall when provided with proper support and rich, moist soil. These purple blooms have a sweet, powerful fragrance, so they’re a lovely addition to any garden.
Foxglove (Digitalis purpuria)
Foxglove flowers can range in color from light pink to dark purples, like the ones in this image. Foxglove is also known as dead men’s bells, goblin gloves, and witch’s gloves because these plants are poisonous to touch.
However, Foxglove is a really important plant because it is a major source of pollen for bees. This is a hardy plant species that are easy to grow – just be careful not to make contact when you water and feed it.
Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris)
The Pasque Flower has become an extremely rare plant in the wild, growing in small numbers in prairies and meadows. This is a perennial, herbaceous plant, and it’s native to North America, Asia, and Europe. The Pasque Flower gets its name from the word ‘Paschal’, which means Easter, because it blooms in April. Pasque Flowers can also be red or light purple, but many people favor the dark purple blooms.
Columbine (Aquilegia)
Columbine flowers can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, usually growing at higher altitudes in meadows and woodland environments. If you’d like to attract more birds to your garden, planting some Columbine plants is a good method.
These flowers draw in hummingbirds with their sweet nectar. However, they don’t live for very long, only blooming for a few months between spring and summer, so make sure to enjoy these flowers while they last!
Heliotrope (Heliotropium)
The Heliotrope is a perennial flowering plant that symbolizes devotion and love. However, these flowers are very poisonous to dogs and cats. With that being said, these poisonous flowers have their good qualities – they smell sweet, like vanilla, and will attract butterflies into your garden.
It can grow in various climates because it loves the sunlight while also benefiting from the shade. Just make sure to use well-draining soil and maintain an even moisture level.
Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa)
Gloxinia flowers come in many different colors, from completely white to almost-black purple. Many of the colorful Gloxinia flowers have white edges around the petals, although some purple Gloxinias, like this one, are entirely purple.
Gloxinia is a perennial plant, but it can also be grown annually. It can be grown indoors and outdoors, but it’s best to plant indoors during the winter before eventually moving the plant outside in the spring.
Pansy (Viola tricolor var. hortensis)
The Pansy is another flowering plant with a lot of color variety. Pansies can be yellow, blue, orange, white, pink, red, or purple, with some developing a very dark, rich purple hue. In terms of symbolism, the purple Pansy is associated with nobility, royalty, and beauty, so this flower will give your garden a regal atmosphere.
Pansies like to grow in full sun or partial shade, and as long as they are provided with fertile soil, they can bloom for 8 months at a time.
Clematis (Clematis)
Clematis is a species of perennial vine, sometimes reblooming multiple times during the year or for just one season, depending on the variety. Some Clematis flowers can be very light in color (white or pink) but the dark purple ones are especially eye-catching.
Clematis grows best in full sun, but the summer months can sometimes be too dry for this plant, so it’s best to plant it in fall or springtime. This is a robust plant that is resistant to many pests and can live for up to 50 years if tended to properly.
Buddleia (Buddleja davidii)
Buddleia, also known as Summer Lilac, can grow white and pink flowers as well as light and dark purple ones. This plant symbolizes rebirth and fresh beginnings, and it is also sometimes referred to as the ‘butterfly bush’ because it attracts butterflies. Buddleia flowers between July and October.
Unfortunately, Buddleia is an invasive plant that can actually damage the ecosystem by distracting butterflies from other native plants, so we wouldn’t recommend planting one at home. There’s no denying that this is a beautiful plant species, though.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a fan of dark purple plants, we hope that this article has provided both information and inspiration!
Before you plant any of the species listed above in your garden, please ensure that doing so will not damage your local ecosystem or cause any harm to pets and other wildlife in your area. Also, remember never to pick flowers or plants without knowing what they are or without permission from the landowner.
Plants have always been a big interest of mine, and I’ve always wanted to learn more about the different types of species. I have gained a vast knowledge of the subject over the years, and I have decided to share this information with others.
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