Purple Flowers – List with Blooming Seasons
Solanum wendlandii (potato vine) – Flowers at Enchanting Floral Gardens of Kula, Maui taken on April 30, 2009 by Forest & Kim Starr (http://www.starrenvironmental.com). See their image use policy at http://www.starrenvironmental.com/imageusepolicy/
At CTG Publishing, we like to learn about plants and especially culinary plants. If you are looking to add color to your garden and also want to grow something that is edible, growing saffron, garlic, onions, chives, potatoes, sage, thyme and lavender in your garden will result in plant beds filled with blue/purple blooms. Artichokes, if left to bloom, will also produce a beautiful purple bloom.
Below is a list of over 200 plants that produce purple blooms from the USDA’s database. The list includes the blooming period, if the plant is edible (palatable), and its duration (annual, perennial or biennial). Links to the USDA’s description of the plant along with facts sheets and guides are also included. This is not an exhaustive list.
| COMMON NAME | Scientific Name (USDA Link) | Bloom Period | Edible (Plant) | Duration | Fact Sheets (UDSA PDF) | Plant Guides (USDA PDF) |
| ALASKA BOG WILLOW | Salix fuscescens | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| ALFALFA | Medicago sativa | Spring | Yes | Annual, Perennial | Available | |
| ALPINE LAUREL | Kalmia microphylla | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| ALPINE LEAFYBRACT ASTER | Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. foliaceum | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| ALPINE SWEETVETCH | Hedysarum alpinum | Early Summer | Yes | Perennial | ||
| AMERICAN CUPSCALE | Sacciolepis striata | Early Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| AMERICAN VETCH | Vicia americana | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| AMERICAN WISTERIA | Wisteria frutescens | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| ANDERSON’S LARKSPUR | Delphinium andersonii | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| APACHE PLUME | Fallugia paradoxa | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| APPALACHIAN BLAZING STAR | Liatris squarrulosa | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| ARCTIC BLUEGRASS | Poa arctica | No | Perennial | |||
| BALD CYPRESS | Taxodium distichum | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | Available | Available |
| BALLHEAD WATERLEAF | Hydrophyllum capitatum | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| BEACH PEA | Lathyrus japonicus | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| BIGELOW’S TANSYASTER | Machaeranthera bigelovii var. bigelovii | Fall | No | Biennial, Perennial | Available | |
| BIGLEAF ASTER | Eurybia macrophylla | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| BIRD VETCH | Vicia cracca | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| BLACK CROWBERRY | Empetrum nigrum | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| BLUE COHOSH | Caulophyllum thalictroides | Mid Summer | Yes | Perennial | ||
| BOG BLUEBERRY | Vaccinium uliginosum | Early Summer | Yes | Perennial | ||
| BOG LAUREL | Kalmia polifolia | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| BORAXWEED | Nitrophila occidentalis | Indeterminate | No | Perennial | ||
| BOTTLE GENTIAN | Gentiana clausa | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| BOUNCINGBET | Saponaria officinalis | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| BRICKELLBUSH ASTER | Eucephalus brickellioides | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| BRISTLECONE PINE | Pinus aristata | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| CALIFORNIA YERBA SANTA | Eriodictyon californicum | Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| CANADA GERMANDER | Teucrium canadense | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| CAROLINA DESERT-THORN | Lycium carolinianum | Fall | No | Perennial | ||
| CAROLINA ELEPHANTSFOOT | Elephantopus carolinianus | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| CHINABERRYTREE | Melia azedarach | Indeterminate | No | Perennial | ||
| CHINESE MAGNOLIA | Magnolia ×soulangiana | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| CLIFF DWARF-PRIMROSE | Douglasia laevigata | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| CLOSED BOTTLE GENTIAN | Gentiana andrewsii | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| COLORADO FOUR O’CLOCK | Mirabilis multiflora | Late Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| COMMON BLUE VIOLET | Viola sororia | Mid Spring | No | Annual, Perennial | ||
| COMMON BLUE WOOD ASTER | Symphyotrichum cordifolium | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| COMMON LILAC | Syringa vulgaris | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| COMMON NINEBARK | Physocarpus opulifolius | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| COMMON SELFHEAL | Prunella vulgaris | Mid Summer | Yes | Perennial | ||
| COWPEA | Vigna unguiculata | Summer | Yes | Annual | Available | |
| CRAPEMYRTLE | Lagerstroemia indica | Summer | No | Perennial | Available | |
| CREEPING BENTGRASS | Agrostis stolonifera | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| DAMES ROCKET | Hesperis matronalis | Spring | No | Biennial, Perennial | ||
| DARKTHROAT SHOOTINGSTAR | Dodecatheon pulchellum | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| DAVIS’ KNOTWEED | Polygonum davisiae | Early Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| DENSE BLAZING STAR | Liatris spicata | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| DESERT IRONWOOD | Olneya tesota | Early Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| DESERT WILLOW | Chilopsis linearis | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| DOTTED BLAZING STAR | Liatris punctata | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | Available | Available |
| DOUBLEHORN CALICOFLOWER | Downingia bicornuta | Mid Spring | No | Annual | ||
| DOUGLAS ASTER | Symphyotrichum subspicatum var. subspicatum | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| DOUGLAS’ ONION | Allium douglasii | Late Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| DWARF AZALEA | Rhododendron atlanticum | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| DWARF ROSE | Rosa gymnocarpa | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| EASTERN PURPLE CONEFLOWER | Echinacea purpurea | Early Summer | No | Perennial | Available | Available |
| EASTERN REDBUD | Cercis canadensis | Spring | Yes | Perennial | Available | Available |
| ELEPHANTHEAD LOUSEWORT | Pedicularis groenlandica | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| ELMER’S LUPINE | Lupinus elmeri | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| EUROPEAN ALDER | Alnus glutinosa | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| FAIRYDUSTER | Calliandra eriophylla | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| FALSE INDIGO BUSH | Amorpha fruticosa | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| FEATHERPLUME | Dalea formosa | Indeterminate | No | Perennial | ||
| FERNLEAF BISCUITROOT | Lomatium dissectum | Early Summer | No | Perennial | Available | |
| FIREWEED | Chamerion angustifolium ssp. angustifolium | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| FOXGLOVE BEARDTONGUE | Penstemon digitalis | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| FRASER FIR | Abies fraseri | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| FRINGELEAF WILD PETUNIA | Ruellia humilis | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| GARDEN VETCH | Vicia sativa | Early Spring | Yes | Annual | ||
| GIANT MOUNTAIN ASTER | Canadanthus modestus | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| GLAUCOUS BLUEGRASS | Poa glauca | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| GLAUCUS WILLOWHERB | Epilobium glaberrimum | Mid Summer | Yes | Perennial | ||
| GLOSSY ABELIA | Abelia ×grandiflora | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| GRAY ASTER | Eurybia glauca | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| GREAT BASIN LUPINE | Lupinus ×alpestris | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| GREENLEAF FESCUE | Festuca viridula | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| GROUNDNUT | Apios americana | Late Spring | Yes | Perennial | Available | |
| HAIRY CHAFFHEAD | Carphephorus paniculatus | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| HAIRY INDIGO | Indigofera hirsuta | Late Summer | No | Annual | ||
| HAIRY WHITE OLDFIELD ASTER | Symphyotrichum pilosum var. pilosum | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| HALBERDLEAF ROSEMALLOW | Hibiscus laevis | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| HOLBOELL’S ROCKCRESS | Arabis holboellii | Mid Spring | No | Biennial, Perennial | ||
| ISLAND GOOSEBERRY | Ribes viburnifolium | Mid Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| JAMAICAN CAPER | Capparis cynophallophora | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| JAPANESE CLOVER | Kummerowia striata | Early Spring | No | Annual | Available | |
| JOINTLEAF RUSH | Juncus articulatus | Early Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| KINNIKINNICK | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| KOREAN CLOVER | Kummerowia stipulacea | Late Spring | No | Annual | Available | |
| LANCELEAF LOOSESTRIFE | Lysimachia lanceolata | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LAPLAND ROSEBAY | Rhododendron lapponicum | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LARGEFLOWER SPEARGRASS | Poa eminens | No | Perennial | |||
| LARGEHEAD CLOVER | Trifolium macrocephalum | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LATE PURPLE ASTER | Symphyotrichum patens var. patens | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| LAVENDER THRIFT | Limonium carolinianum | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| LEADPLANT | Amorpha canescens | Early Summer | No | Perennial | Available | Available |
| LEAST WILLOW | Salix rotundifolia | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LEIBERG’S BLUEGRASS | Poa leibergii | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LIMESTONE BITTERCRESS | Cardamine douglassii | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LIMESTONE WILD PETUNIA | Ruellia strepens | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LITTLELEAF RATANY | Krameria erecta | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LONGBEAK STORK’S BILL | Erodium botrys | Early Spring | No | Annual, Biennial | ||
| LONGLEAF PHLOX | Phlox longifolia | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LONGSTALK CLOVER | Trifolium longipes | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LOW PUSSYTOES | Antennaria dimorpha | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| LYALL’S BEARDTONGUE | Penstemon lyallii | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MARSH HEDGENETTLE | Stachys palustris | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MEADOW BISTORT | Polygonum bistorta | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MEADOW EVENING PRIMROSE | Oenothera pilosella | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MERTENS’ RUSH | Juncus mertensianus | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MERTENS’ SEDGE | Carex mertensii | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MESCAL BEAN | Sophora secundiflora | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MINTLEAF BERGAMOT | Monarda fistulosa ssp. fistulosa var. menthifolia | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MISSOURI IRONWEED | Vernonia missurica | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| MOSS PHLOX | Phlox subulata | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MOUNTAIN AZALEA | Rhododendron canescens | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MOUNTAIN FALSE INDIGO | Amorpha glabra | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MOUNTAIN LAUREL | Kalmia latifolia | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| MOUNTAIN SEDGE | Carex scopulorum | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| NETLEAF WILLOW | Salix reticulata | Early Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| NEW MEXICO LOCUST | Robinia neomexicana | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| NEW YORK ASTER | Symphyotrichum novi-belgii var. novi-belgii | Summer | No | Perennial | Available | |
| NEW YORK IRONWEED | Vernonia noveboracensis | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| NOOTKA LUPINE | Lupinus nootkatensis | Early Summer | No | Perennial | Available | |
| NORTHERN BUSH HONEYSUCKLE | Diervilla lonicera | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| NORTHERN REEDGRASS | Calamagrostis stricta ssp. inexpansa | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| OLD MAN’S WHISKERS | Geum triflorum | Late Summer | Yes | Perennial | ||
| ONESEED HAWTHORN | Crataegus monogyna | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| OREGON CHECKERBLOOM | Sidalcea oregana | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| OREGON GERANIUM | Geranium oreganum | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| OVAL-LEAF BLUEBERRY | Vaccinium ovalifolium | Mid Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| OVAL-LEAF CLUSTERVINE | Jacquemontia ovalifolia ssp. sandwicensis | Indeterminate | No | Perennial | ||
| PACIFIC ASTER | Symphyotrichum chilense var. chilense | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| PACIFIC ASTER | Symphyotrichum chilense var. invenustum | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| PACIFIC BLEEDING HEART | Dicentra formosa | Early Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| PACIFIC ONION | Allium validum | Late Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| PACIFIC RHODODENDRON | Rhododendron macrophyllum | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| PALE DESERT-THORN | Lycium pallidum | Early Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| PANICLEDLEAF TICKTREFOIL | Desmodium paniculatum | Late Summer | No | Perennial | Available | Available |
| PARA GRASS | Urochloa mutica | Indeterminate | No | Perennial | ||
| PAWPAW | Asimina triloba | Mid Spring | Yes | Perennial | Available | |
| PINK AZALEA | Rhododendron periclymenoides | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| PINKFAIRIES | Clarkia pulchella | Mid Spring | No | Annual | ||
| POLAR WILLOW | Salix polaris | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| PRAIRIE BLAZING STAR | Liatris pycnostachya | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | Available | Available |
| PRICKLY CURRANT | Ribes lacustre | Early Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| PRINCESSTREE | Paulownia tomentosa | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| PROSTRATE CEANOTHUS | Ceanothus prostratus | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| PURDY’S PENSTEMON | Penstemon heterophyllus ssp. purdyi | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| PURPLE AVENS | Geum rivale | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| PURPLE BUSHBEAN | Macroptilium atropurpureum | Indeterminate | No | Perennial | ||
| PURPLE FOXGLOVE | Digitalis purpurea | Summer | No | Biennial | ||
| PURPLE MILKVETCH | Astragalus agrestis | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| PURPLE MOUNTAINHEATH | Phyllodoce breweri | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| PURPLE ONIONGRASS | Melica spectabilis | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| PURPLE PRAIRIE CLOVER | Dalea purpurea var. purpurea | Summer | No | Perennial | Available | |
| PURPLE VETCH | Vicia benghalensis | No | Annual | |||
| PURPLEFLOWERING RASPBERRY | Rubus odoratus | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| RED CURRANT | Ribes triste | Late Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| RHODORA | Rhododendron canadense | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| RICHARDSON’S GERANIUM | Geranium richardsonii | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| ROCKY MOUNTAIN IRIS | Iris missouriensis | Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| ROCKY MOUNTAIN PENSTEMON | Penstemon strictus | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| ROSE SPIREA | Spiraea douglasii | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | Available | |
| ROVING SAILOR | Maurandella antirrhiniflora | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| SAGEBRUSH MARIPOSA LILY | Calochortus macrocarpus | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| SALMONBERRY | Rubus spectabilis | Early Spring | Yes | Perennial | Available | |
| SALSIFY | Tragopogon porrifolius | Mid Spring | Yes | Biennial | ||
| SALT SPRING CHECKERBLOOM | Sidalcea neomexicana | Mid Spring | Yes | Perennial | ||
| SALTMARSH BIRD’S-BEAK | Cordylanthus maritimus | Late Spring | No | Annual | ||
| SAWSEPAL PENSTEMON | Penstemon glaber | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| SCRATCHGRASS | Muhlenbergia asperifolia | Early Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| SHOWY LOCOWEED | Oxytropis splendens | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| SIERRA LARKSPUR | Delphinium glaucum | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| SILKY BEACH PEA | Lathyrus littoralis | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| SKUNK CABBAGE | Symplocarpus foetidus | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| SLENDER BUCKWHEAT | Eriogonum microthecum | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| SLENDER CLARKIA | Clarkia gracilis | Early Spring | No | Annual | ||
| SMOOTH BLUE ASTER | Symphyotrichum laeve var. laeve | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | Available | |
| SMOOTH HEDGENETTLE | Stachys tenuifolia | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| SOYBEAN | Glycine max | Mid Summer | Yes | Annual | ||
| SPREADING PHLOX | Phlox diffusa | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| SPREADINGPOD ROCKCRESS | Arabis ×divaricarpa | Late Spring | No | Biennial, Perennial | ||
| STEEPLEBUSH | Spiraea tomentosa | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| STICKY PURPLE GERANIUM | Geranium viscosissimum | Mid Spring | No | Annual, Perennial | Available | |
| STRAWBERRY CLOVER | Trifolium fragiferum | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| SUBALPINE FLEABANE | Erigeron peregrinus | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| SWEETSCENT | Pluchea odorata var. odorata | Indeterminate | No | Annual, Perennial | ||
| SWORDLEAF RUSH | Juncus ensifolius | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| TANSEYLEAF TANSYASTER | Machaeranthera tanacetifolia | Late Spring | No | Annual, Biennial | ||
| TAPERTIP ONION | Allium acuminatum | Summer | Yes | Perennial | ||
| TAPERTIP RUSH | Juncus acuminatus | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| THICKSTEM ASTER | Eurybia integrifolia | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| THINLEAF ALDER | Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| THINLEAF HUCKLEBERRY | Vaccinium membranaceum | Late Spring | Yes | Perennial | Available | |
| THINLEAVED OWL’S-CLOVER | Orthocarpus tenuifolius | Late Spring | No | Annual | ||
| THREADLEAF FLEABANE | Erigeron filifolius | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| THREEFLOWER TICKTREFOIL | Desmodium triflorum | Yes | Perennial | Available | ||
| THRIFT SEAPINK | Armeria maritima | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| TOUGHLEAF IRIS | Iris tenax | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| TUBEROUS SWEETPEA | Lathyrus tuberosus | Mid Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| TURPENTINEBROOM | Thamnosma montana | Early Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| TWOFLOWERED RUSH | Juncus biglumis | Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| VALLEY REDSTEM | Ammannia coccinea | Indeterminate | No | Annual | ||
| VENUS PENSTEMON | Penstemon venustus | Early Summer | No | Perennial | Available | |
| VETIVERGRASS | Vetiveria zizanioides | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| VIOLET TREE | Polygala cowellii | Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| VIRGINIA ROSE | Rosa virginiana | Late Spring | No | Perennial | Available | |
| WAND LESPEDEZA | Lespedeza virgata | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| WESTERN POLEMONIUM | Polemonium occidentale | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| WHIPPLE’S PENSTEMON | Penstemon whippleanus | Late Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| WILCOX’S PENSTEMON | Penstemon wilcoxii | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| WILD BLUE PHLOX | Phlox divaricata | Mid Summer | No | Perennial | ||
| WINTER VETCH | Vicia villosa | Early Spring | No | Annual, Biennial, Perennial | Available | |
| WOOLLY GERANIUM | Geranium erianthum | Early Summer | Yes | Perennial | ||
| WOOLLY LOCOWEED | Astragalus mollissimus var. mollissimus | Late Spring | No | Perennial | ||
| ZARZABACOA COMUN | Desmodium incanum | Indeterminate | No | Perennial |
DATA SOURCE: USDA http://plants.usda.gov/ accessed on December 14, 2013