Purple perennials

These are the perennials in our records with purple among their flower colors. A plant is listed here only if its record gives a hardiness zone of 7 or colder, so it can stay in the ground over winter in zone 7 or colder; dahlias are left out for that reason. The table below compares every plant we list side by side.

Varieties
17
Height
0½–7 ft (10–213 cm)
Hardiness
USDA zones 3–10
Flowers

7 Tulips

5 Coneflowers

2 Hostas

2 Peonies

1 Lilies

All 17 purple perennials

A Arabian Mystery tulip flower up close on the plant Arabian Mystery Triumph tulip, violet purple edged white, about 45 cm, mid-season. Mid spring, Late spring18 in (45 cm)Triumph
A Artist tulip flower up close on the plant Artist Viridiflora tulip with fluted salmon-orange petals marked green and purple, RHS AGM. Mid spring, Late spring12–16 in (30–41 cm)Viridiflora
A Blue Diamond tulip flower up close on the plant Blue Diamond Double Late tulip with layered lavender-purple blooms on 14-16 inch stems. Mid spring, Late spring14–16 in (36–41 cm)Double late
A Blue Parrot tulip flower up close on the plant Blue Parrot Parrot tulip with ruffled violet petals tinged bluish-bronze on 22-inch stems. Late spring22 in (56 cm)Parrot
A Echinacea tennesseensis coneflower flower up close on the plant Echinacea tennesseensis Tennessee glade endemic with upturned rose purple rays from June to August. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer1½–2 ft (46–61 cm)Single
Leaves of Mighty Mouse hosta up close Mighty Mouse Miniature hosta with thick blue-green leaves edged creamy yellow, then creamy white. Early summer8 in (20 cm)Mini
A Morning Lilac peony flower up close on the plant Morning Lilac Early Itoh peony with single to semi-double fuchsia purple flowers, 28 inches tall. Late spring2½ ft (71 cm)Itoh (intersectional)
A Negrita tulip flower up close on the plant Negrita Triumph tulip with deep purple flowers and beetroot-purple veins on 18 inch stems. Mid spring18 in (46 cm)Triumph
A Netty's Pride lily flower up close on the plant Netty's Pride Asiatic lily with intense purple flowers, tipped white, on 2 to 3 foot stems in June. Early summer2–3 ft (61–91 cm)Asiatic
A Paul Scherer tulip flower up close on the plant Paul Scherer Triumph tulip with purple-black egg-shaped flowers on 16-18 inch stems in mid-spring. Mid spring16–18 in (41–46 cm)Triumph
A PowWow Wild Berry coneflower flower up close on the plant PowWow Wild Berry Seed-grown coneflower with deep purple-pink single flowers on compact, branched plants. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer1½–2 ft (46–61 cm)Single
A Princess Irene tulip flower up close on the plant Princess Irene Triumph tulip, orange flamed purple, 12-14 inches, mid spring. Mid spring12–14 in (30–36 cm)Triumph
A Purple Coneflower coneflower flower up close on the plant Purple Coneflower Native coneflower species with purplish pink daisies up to 5 inches across, June to August. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer2–5 ft (61–152 cm)Single
A Razzmatazz coneflower flower up close on the plant Razzmatazz Double coneflower with rose pink pom-pom with magenta-purple rays flowers, 31 to 35 inches tall, zones 3 to 9. Midsummer, Late summer, Fall2½–3 ft (80–90 cm)Double
A Ruby Star coneflower flower up close on the plant Ruby Star Seed-grown purple coneflower with carmine red to purple rays, June to August. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer2–3 ft (61–91 cm)Single
A Shimadaijin peony flower up close on the plant Shimadaijin Japanese tree peony with semi-double reddish purple flowers about 8 inches across and golden stamens. Mid spring (estimated) 3–7 ft (91–213 cm)Tree
Leaves of Twist of Lime hosta up close Twist of Lime Mini hosta with chartreuse yellow leaves edged in green, 4 to 8 inches tall. Late spring4–8 in (10–20 cm)Mini

How to choose

  1. Look at the Color column. A bicolor or blend is recorded with every color the seller names, so a plant can appear here and on another color page.
  2. Check the Hardiness column against your USDA zone. The zone range tells you where the plant is expected to survive winter.
  3. Compare the Bloom time column if you want the color at a particular point in the season.

Compare side by side

Color Sunlight
Arabian Mystery Triumph tulip 18 in (45 cm) 3–8 (estimated) Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part sun, Part shade
Artist Viridiflora tulip 12–16 in (30–41 cm) 3–8 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Blue Diamond Double late tulip 14–16 in (36–41 cm) 3–7 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun
Blue Parrot Parrot tulip 22 in (56 cm) 4–7 Late spring Full sun
Echinacea tennesseensis Single coneflower 1½–2 ft (46–61 cm) 5–6 Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun, Part shade
Mighty Mouse Mini hosta 8 in (20 cm) 3–9 Early summer Part shade, Full shade
Morning Lilac Itoh (intersectional) peony 2½ ft (71 cm) 4–8 Late spring Full sun
Negrita Triumph tulip 18 in (46 cm) 3–8 Mid spring Full sun, Part shade
Netty's Pride Asiatic lily 2–3 ft (61–91 cm) 3–10 Early summer Full sun, Part shade
Paul Scherer Triumph tulip 16–18 in (41–46 cm) 3–8 Mid spring Full sun, Part shade
PowWow Wild Berry Single coneflower 1½–2 ft (46–61 cm) 3–8 Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun, Part shade
Princess Irene Triumph tulip 12–14 in (30–36 cm) 3–8 Mid spring Full sun, Part sun
Purple Coneflower Single coneflower 2–5 ft (61–152 cm) 3–8 Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun, Part shade
Razzmatazz Double coneflower 2½–3 ft (80–90 cm) 3–9 Midsummer, Late summer, Fall Full sun, Part shade
Ruby Star Single coneflower 2–3 ft (61–91 cm) 3–8 Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun, Part shade
Shimadaijin Tree peony 3–7 ft (91–213 cm) 4–9 Mid spring (estimated) Full sun, Part shade
Twist of Lime Mini hosta 4–8 in (10–20 cm) 3–9 Late spring Part shade

Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.

Frequently asked questions

Where should purple perennials go in a border?

The RHS suggests placing bright, hot colours and larger flowers closest to where you most often view the border, with paler, smaller flowers at the far end. Use the Height column to decide how far forward a plant can go.

What does a USDA hardiness zone measure?

According to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature, in 10 degree F zones and 5 degree F half zones. We count a perennial here when the coldest zone in its record is 7 or lower.