Purple dahlia varieties

These dahlias carry purple in the bloom, as the main color or inside a blend. The table below compares their form, height, hardiness zones and bloom time side by side.

Varieties
11
Height
3–5 ft (91–152 cm)
Hardiness
USDA zones 8–11
Form

4 Informal decorative

2 Pompon

2 Ball

1 Formal decorative

1 Semi-cactus

1 Waterlily

Compare all 11 side by side

All 11 purple dahlia varieties

A Diva dahlia flower up close on the plant Diva Formal decorative dahlia with 6-inch dark purple blooms on 4.5-foot plants. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall4½ ft (137 cm)Formal decorative
A Emory Paul dahlia flower up close on the plant Emory Paul Giant informal decorative dahlia, 12-14 in rosy purple-pink blooms, introduced 1962. Late summer, Fall4 ft (122 cm)Informal decorative
A Frank Holmes dahlia flower up close on the plant Frank Holmes Lavender pompon dahlia with a darker center, 1.5-inch blooms on 3.5-foot plants. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall3½ ft (107 cm)Pompon
A Grand Finale dahlia flower up close on the plant Grand Finale Semi-cactus dinnerplate dahlia with 10 in wine-colored blooms. Late summer, Fall4 ft (122 cm)Semi-cactus
A Imperial Wine dahlia flower up close on the plant Imperial Wine Informal decorative dahlia with 4 in wine-colored blooms. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall4–5 ft (122–152 cm)Informal decorative
A Ivanetti dahlia flower up close on the plant Ivanetti Ball dahlia with dark purple 4 in blooms on 3.5 ft plants, introduced 1999. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall3½ ft (107 cm)Ball
A Jowey Winnie dahlia flower up close on the plant Jowey Winnie Ball dahlia blending dusky pink, peach and mango with a plum center, on 36 in plants. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall3 ft (91 cm)Ball
A Lauren Michele dahlia flower up close on the plant Lauren Michele Lavender waterlily dahlia with a deep purple reverse, 3.5-inch blooms on 4-foot plants. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall4 ft (122 cm)Waterlily
A Mary Munns dahlia flower up close on the plant Mary Munns Deep lavender pompon dahlia, 2-inch blooms on 3-foot plants. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall3 ft (91 cm)Pompon
A Purple Taiheijo dahlia flower up close on the plant Purple Taiheijo Purple informal decorative dahlia with 12-inch blooms on a compact 3-foot plant. Late summer, Fall3 ft (91 cm)Informal decorative
A Thomas Edison dahlia flower up close on the plant Thomas Edison Dark purple informal decorative dahlia with 8-inch blooms on a compact 3.5 ft plant. Late summer, Fall3½ ft (107 cm)Informal decorative

How to choose

  1. Start with the form. Ball and pompon dahlias have small, tight, rounded blooms. Informal decorative and waterlily types have wider, looser petals. The Form column in the table says which each variety is.

  2. Purple in dahlias ranges from red-violet to deep plum, and sellers' color words vary. Compare the swatches in the table with the seller's photo before you order.

  3. Check the Height column before you plan the bed. Dahlias of the same color can differ a lot in height, and a tall variety set in front of a short one will hide it.

Compare side by side

Color Sunlight
Diva Formal decorative 4½ ft (137 cm) 8–11 Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Emory Paul Informal decorative 4 ft (122 cm) 8–10 Late summer, Fall Full sun
Frank Holmes Pompon 3½ ft (107 cm) 8–10 Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Grand Finale Semi-cactus 4 ft (122 cm) 8–10 Late summer, Fall Full sun
Imperial Wine Informal decorative 4–5 ft (122–152 cm) 8–10 Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Ivanetti Ball 3½ ft (107 cm) 8–10 Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Jowey Winnie Ball 3 ft (91 cm) 9–11 Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Lauren Michele Waterlily 4 ft (122 cm) 8–10 Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Mary Munns Pompon 3 ft (91 cm) 8–10 Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun
Purple Taiheijo Informal decorative 3 ft (91 cm) 8–10 Late summer, Fall Full sun
Thomas Edison Informal decorative 3½ ft (107 cm) 8–10 Late summer, Fall Full sun

Frequently asked questions

Why is a lilac or lavender dahlia missing from this page?

We record lavender separately from purple, because a pale lilac and a deep purple are different choices in a planting. A pale lilac variety is recorded as lavender. A variety with both shades appears here because purple is one of its colors.

Will these dahlias survive winter in the ground?

Only in mild areas. The University of Georgia Extension notes that dahlias are not reliably hardy outside zone 9 unless heavily mulched. In colder zones, Wisconsin Extension advises digging them before a hard freeze; the tops may die back from a light frost first. Our bulb calendar gives both dates for your ZIP code.

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