Purple Flowering Annuals
Below you will find a list of Annuals from our plant database that are purple flowering. If you click on any of the photos, you will see a Virtual Plant Tag that may contain plant descriptions, usage suggestions and a link to where you can buy that plant for your landscaping.
The annuals, also commonly referred to as bedding plants, can be grown directly in the ground, in containers for patios and decks or in hanging baskets. Annuals, with their blasts of color, are used for edging, mass of color, filling in spots between established shrubs, trees and evergreens and as groundcovers. Mixed containers are in vogue, often a blend of annuals, perennials, ornamental grasses and even tropicals to take the urn, window box or decorative planter through the spring, summer, fall until frost. Most of these annuals grow well with average soil moisture and partial or full sun, though some can take full shade, giving the home gardener more options for use in the landscape.
Many of the plants grown in the United States as bedding plant annuals are actual tropical in origin, which explains why they are harmed by late spring frosts and the killing Autumn freezing temperatures. Some of these beautiful plants come to us from areas in Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, South America and the Mediterranean region. Frequently, plants from the wild are then selected and hybridized for larger blooms, better bloom color, longer bloom time, improved disease resistance and even better foliage displays.
Some of the bedding plants with purple blooms are native plants, which are more naturally insect resistant, salt tolerant and have natural disease resistance. Some strong performing native annuals are Aster, Phlox, Salvias, Clump Verbena
The most well-known annuals with purple flowers are: Angelonia or Summer Snapdragon, Asters, Bellflowers, Calibrachoa, Cape Daisy, Dianthus, Fan Flower or Scaevola, Flossflower or Ageratum, Fountain Grass, Heliotrope, Lobelia, Martha Washington Geraniums, Mexican Heather, Nemesia or Paintbox, Pansy, Petunias, Phlox, Pinks, Salvia or Sage, Sweet William, Twinspur or Diascia, Verbena and Wishbone Flower.
Annuals that flower purple add a special grace to a landscape. The strong, vibrant purple color can be enjoyed throughout the season and blends well with lavender, orchid, lilac, violet, white, blue, pink and looks particularly striking mixed with green and white variegated foliage on shrubs, groundcovers and evergreens. Purple annuals look striking with purple, white and pink Clematis vine.
Flowering annuals are great at attracting butterflies and birds, particularly hummingbirds.
