Shrubs bloom in many colors, one of which is purple. However, purple flowers are rarer than other flower colors, such as white. A list of purple flowering shrubs and subshrubs can be found here.

In a nutshell

  • Most lilac flowering shrubs are easy to care for
  • many are suitable for insects/bees
  • some can also grow into small trees
  • a few are evergreen
  • some kitchen herbs also bloom purple

Shrubs from B to C

Bearded Beard (Caryopteris clandonensis)

  • Origin: originally from East Asia, bred in England
  • Growth and size: semi-shrub, 80 to 100 cm wide and high
  • Flowers: July to September, blue to purple flowers
  • Properties: conditionally hardy, leaves lanceolate, whole plant smells aromatic, some winter protection can't hurt
  • Care: full sun, sheltered location, dry soil, easy to care for, pruning improves flowering

Bastard indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

  • Origin: comes from North America
  • Growth and size: 1 to 3 m high
  • Flowers: upright racemes, June to August
  • Properties: hardy, good bee pasture, imparipinnate leaves
  • Care: sunny location, dry to moist soil, little care

Common heather (Calluna vulgaris)

  • Origin: local
  • Growth and size: dwarf shrub, 40 to 50 cm
  • Flowers: upright, grape-like inflorescence, July to November, purple flowers, but also white, yellow, orange, red, pink
  • Properties: hardy, evergreen, leaves very small
  • Care: sunny location, stony, dry soil, do not let dry out, cut away old flowering shoots

Blue Diamonds (Perovskia)

  • Origin: comes from Asia
  • Growth and size: semi-shrub, 100 to 200 cm high
  • Flowers: Lip flowers in panicles, purple flowers and also blue, August to September
  • Properties: hardy, rod-shaped shoots with lanceolate leaves, aromatic fragrance
  • Care: sunny location, dry soil, only water during prolonged drought, otherwise easy to care for, cut back a hand's breadth above the ground in spring
Pinnate Perovsky (Perowskie abrotanoides)

Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

  • Origin: comes from China
  • Growth and size: actually a climbing plant, but can grow as a shrub up to 10 m tall
  • Flowers: Butterfly flowers in clusters, May to June
  • Properties: hardy, very sprawling, long-lived, pinnate leaves, bee pasture
  • Care: sunny, warm, sheltered location, moist, well-drained soil, climbing aid is needed when young, keep moist, forms nitrogen itself, cut back twice a year

Caution: Wisteria is poisonous in all parts, especially fruits and flowers!

Chinese Judas Tree (Cercis chinensis)

  • Origin: comes from China
  • Growth and size: a small tree in its homeland, here as a shrub, up to 10 m tall
  • Flowers: plentiful, April to May, violet to red
  • Characteristics: hardy, heart-shaped leaves, popular with insects
  • Care: sunny, warm, sheltered location, permeable, calcareous and nutrient-rich soil, young plant needs winter protection, drought tolerant

Shrubs from F to R

Lilac (Syringa)

  • Origin: comes from Southern Europe to East Asia
  • Growth and size: upright, compact, sometimes as a small tree, up to 7 m tall
  • Flowers: April to May, purple flowers, but also white, pink, yellowish, pleasant fragrance
  • Properties: hardy, can form runners and then proliferate
  • Care: sunny, warm location, well-drained, rather dry soil, easy to care for, mulch from time to time or fertilize with compost, tolerates pruning, remove old blossoms, pruning of old plants for rejuvenation

Hydrangea (Hydrangea)

  • Origin: most species come from America and Asia
  • Growth and size: broad crown, up to 2 m high
  • Flowering: July to September, also in blue or pink
  • Properties: hardy, some shoots freeze back, large leaves
  • Care: sunny to semi-shady location, slightly acidic, moist and well-drained soil, not too nutrient-rich, water and fertilize regularly, thin out dead leaves after winter
Hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata)

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

  • Origin: comes from the Mediterranean region
  • Growth and size: semi-shrub, compact habit with upright flowering shoots, up to 100 cm high
  • Flower: Lip flowers, June to August, purple flower and also white and pink
  • Properties: conditionally hardy, needle-shaped leaves, aromatic smell
  • Care: sunny location, well-drained, dry, sandy/stony soil, do not fertilize, rarely water, cut regularly

Love Pearl Bush (Callicarpa bodinieri)

  • Origin: comes from China
  • Growth and size: Small shrub, up to 3 m tall
  • Flowers: June to September, also pink flowers
  • Characteristics: hardy, purple, shiny berries that look like pearls, elliptical leaves
  • Care: sunny, warm, sheltered location, well-drained soil, keep moist, mulch, cut back every three years

Monk's Pepper (Vitex agnus-castus)

  • Origin: comes from the Mediterranean region and western Asia
  • Growth and size: semi-shrub, upright and bushy, up to 3 m tall
  • Flowers: spike-like panicles of flowers, September to October, lilac flowers and also white, pink, red and blue
  • Properties: hardy, narrow leaves, black, slightly poisonous berries, plant has an aromatic scent, pasture for bees
  • Care: sunny, warm location, stony, sandy soil, easy to care for, protect from moisture in winter

Rhododendron (Eng. Alpenrose)

  • Origin: partly local, partly from Asia
  • Growth and size: 3 to 4 m or smaller depending on the species
  • Flowers: from April or May, purple flowers and also white, pink, yellow, red and blue
  • Properties: hardy, evergreen, slow-growing
  • Care: semi-shady, protected location under a tree, acidic, moist, well-drained soil, keep moist, cut back after flowering

Shrubs from S to T

sack flower (Ceanothus)

  • Origin: comes from America
  • Growth and size: Small shrub, upright to overhanging, up to 1.50 m tall
  • Flowers: Panicle form, July to November, the lilac flowers are sometimes blue
  • Properties: conditionally hardy and semi-evergreen, ovate leaf shape
  • Care: sunny, warm, sheltered location, sandy soil, likes lime, water only when dry, do not fertilize, remove faded flowers in spring, protect in the first winter

Sage (Salvia)

  • Origin: there are native species
  • Growth and size: clump-like shrub, 30 to 50 cm high
  • Flowers: Labiatae in flower clusters, May to September, also white and pink flowering varieties
  • Properties: conditionally hardy, silvery-green leaves, hairy
  • Care: sunny, warm location, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil, water now and then, winter protection is helpful, annual pruning
Grove sage (Salvia nemorosa)

Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)

  • Origin: comes from China
  • Growth and size: upright, up to 3 m high
  • Flowers: similar to normal lilacs, from July, white, pink and purple flowers
  • Properties: hardy, sometimes freezes back, remove dead leaves
  • Care: sunny, warm location, well-drained soil that is not too damp, also tolerates drought, hardly any care required, cut back in late winter, the stronger the flower, the stronger it is

Notice: Although lilacs and summer lilacs are similar, they are not related.

Shrub Marshmallow (Hibiscus syriacus)

  • Origin: comes from Asia
  • Growth and size: upright, up to 3 m tall
  • Flowers: from August, white, pink, red and blue to purple flowers, funnel-shaped flowers
  • Properties: mostly hardy, slow-growing, good bee pasture
  • Care: sunny, sheltered location, well-drained, moderately moist soil, water and fertilize from time to time, cut back to prevent the shrub from wilting

Notice: The shrub marshmallow is also known under a variety of other names, for example: garden marshmallow or hibiscus, Sharon rose, Syrian marshmallow or festival flower.

thyme (thymus)

  • Origin: comes from the Mediterranean region, but there are also native species
  • Growth and size: small semi-shrub, forms cushions, up to 40 cm high
  • Flowers: from May, also white and pink flowers
  • Properties: mostly hardy, short, partly woody shoots, whole plant has an aromatic scent
  • Care: sunny, warm, sheltered location, nutrient-poor, well-drained, calcareous soil, water little, do not fertilize, cut back from time to time

frequently asked Questions

How to propagate shrubs

For a few, this is achieved by seeding, but it takes a very long time for the new plants to grow. A division or a separation of offshoots is better. Shrubs on this list can also be propagated by cuttings.

Which shrubs with purple flowers are suitable for a hedge?

In principle, the shrubs should tolerate pruning and bloom on one-year-old wood. Lilacs are well suited, for example, as a windbreak hedge.

Which species can be kept in the tub?

These include, on the one hand, all small shrubs and, on the other hand, kitchen herbs, for example. Some varieties of hibiscus can even be grown as houseplants.

Category:

Garden plants