Beautiful Purple Plants for Midwest Gardens

Native to dry upland prairies, fragrant Aster oblongifolius prospers in dry, clay or rocky soil. Covered with flowers in fall, it makes a strong companion plant to little bluestem grass and goldenrod. Pinch in early summer to prevent flopping. Choice variety is 'October Skies'. Zones 3-8.

Related: Midwest Plants for Beautiful Fall Color

This spring bloomer is known for being low-maintenance. Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) is happy in full sun or part shade. Grape hyacinth also won't take over your garden; each plant ranges in height from 6 to 8 inches and only spreads 3 to 6 inches. Zones 3-8.

Related: Spring Bulbs That Attract Pollinators

Sun-loving ornamental onion (Allium 'Globemaster') does best when its bulbs are planted in the fall, in time for a spring bloom. The lavender 'globes' grow up to 30 inches tall. Zones 5-8.

Related: Midwest Plants for Small-Space Greenery and Color

This shrub can grow as wide as it does tall, 1 to 3 feet. Lavender (Lavandula spp.)'s delicate blooms are perfect for a fragrant flower arrangement. Lavender does well in full sun. Zones 5-10.

Also known as salvia, sun-loving sage (Salvia) attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. The plants of 'Purple Rain' grow 1 to 2 feet high and have large, silvery-green leaves. Zones 3 to 8.

Although it has "red" in its name, this leafy plant adds a beautiful wine color to your garden. Red orach (Atriplex hortensis) is also edible and can be used as an alternative to spinach. The plant grows 4 to 6 feet tall. Zones 4-8.

Related: Enjoy a Vegetable Container Garden

Clematis includes many varieties of flowering vines. The Will Goodwin variety grows large lavender blooms that range from 3 to 6 inches in diameter. Like any other vine, clematis 'Will Goodwin' needs a trellis or some sort of support on which to grow. Zones 4-8.

Related: Take Your Garden to New Heights with Clematis

The pale purple blooms of hydrangea are a familiar spring sight. Most varieties of Hydrangea serrata thrive in part sun yet tolerate full sun in Midwestern climates. They prefer moist soils that don't dry out. Flower colors vary by soil's acidity level. Generally, soils with a pH below 5.0 result in deep, vivid blue blooms, while those with higher pH levels range from lavender to pink. Hardy to Zone 6.

Related: Perfect Plants for a Midwest Woodland Garden

Bearded irises (Iris germanica) come in a variety of purples. We love the inky Black Suited variety that is so deeply purple, it's almost black. Bearded irises thrive in full sun and grow to 1 to 2 feet. Zones 3-9.

Related: 12 Fragrant Flowers That Bring Natural Aromatherapy to Outdoor Spaces

Heliotrope is grown as an annual in Zones 2 to 9 and as a perennial in Zones 10 to 11. It bears wonderful clusters of purple or white flowers, which are intensely fragrant with a deep, grapey smell. Leaves are glossy and attractive with slight ribbing. The plant will grow a foot or two high as an annual, or up to 4 feet tall as a perennial, depending on the variety.

Related: Flowers That Beat the Heat

With their sweet scent, pastel blooms and delicate, heart-shape leaves, lilacs are many gardeners' favorite spring flower. The seven official color classifications are white, violet, blue, lilac, pink, magenta and purple, but soil, light and weather can all affect the color of blooms. Pictured: 'Sensation', from 1938, is a longtime favorite because of the white rim on the deep-purple florets. 

Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), a spring flower, sport pink buds that blossom into pink-purple blooms. Happy in sun or shade, each plant grows 2 feet high and wide. Bluebells easily reseed themselves, so a colony can grow larger over the years. Plant Virginia bluebells behind a summer bloomer to hide the foliage that turns brown and fades by June.

Related: 12 Top Midwest Perennial Flowers

Drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, sun-loving catmint adds fragrant foliage and purplish-blue blooms to the summer garden. 'Walker's Low' and the newer 'Cat's Meow' are varieties bred to remain upright rather than split in the middle. Zones 3-8. 

A magnet for hummingbirds, this drought-tolerant native offers long-blooming brilliant tubular flowers in spring or summer and can tolerate part shade. There are numerous types, so be sure to pick one that suits your zone. Zones 3-9.