23 Purple Spring Flowers With Pictures

Do you ever find yourself just aching for color in mid-winter? Me too, and that’s why I’m so excited to share this list of gorgeous purple spring flowers with you today.

Fill up your yard with these beautiful spring blooms, and you’ll enjoy lovely purple flowers in your yard, containers, and rock gardens all spring. 

Some of these regal flowers will bloom until early summer as well! Don’t choose just one shade of purple- there is a diverse rainbow of purple plants in many hues just waiting for you to indulge in. Enjoy them all!

I almost get chills when I think of all the beautiful springtime purple flowers that will light up the world in a few short months!

23 Best Purple Spring Flowers For Vibrant Color

Grape Hyacinths

Grape hyacinths are one of the first bulbs to pop up in early spring, bringing the vibrant color purple with them. Perennial grape hyacinth comes back year after year and may bloom again in the fall. 

Crocus

Famously blooming through frost and snow, crocus features a cup-shaped flower bloom in shades of lavender. Crocus is also available in blue, orange, and white flowers.

Though they feature small flowers, they can make a splash when grown close together in the flower garden. 

Learn about more early spring perennials here.

Hellebore

Looking for a purple flower that blooms during the winter months AND into spring? Then hellebore is your friend! Also known as Lenton Rose, this hardy perennial plant will bring your purple flowers year after year.

Hellebore do well in well-draining, moist soil and do not like to be moved, so plan carefully before planting!

Lilacs

With their fragrant flowers and pastel hues, lilacs are a classic spring flower. These gorgeous flowering shrubs are available in many shades of purple, from rich blue-purple flowers to lighter violet tones.

Lilacs take some time to get established and need well-draining, acidic soil to thrive. Learn how to grow them here.

Sweet Peas

Nothing says spring quite like the sweet climbing sweet pea. These beautiful annuals are the perfect way to add cheer after a long winter.

They are available in shades of purple and blue flowers and bloom in late spring. 

Dwarf Iris

These purple perennials will bring vibrant color year after year and are available in hundreds of shades of purple. From deep violet to white with purple highlights, there’s sure to be a hue you love. 

Bearded Iris

Bearded irises announce the arrival of spring with their regal purple blooms. They are available in shades of purple, from almost black to purple-ish pink! Iris grows from a rhizome, and these perennials bloom from May to early June. 

Violas

Ah, violas, the sweet cousin to pansies that can withstand frigid temperatures! Violas are a flower that can thrive through winter AND spring (zone dependent).

Give these little beauties partial shade and fertile soil. There are many purple varieties to choose from!

Pansies

Pansies are a popular spring flower in various shades of purple, from violet to royal purple to variegated tones! They are one of spring’s most famous purple plants because they are easy to grow and come in so many colors.

Give them moist, well-draining soil and shade to part sun. They thrive in flower beds, containers, and window boxes. 

Tulips

Tulips are one of my favorite springtime flowers. They available in many gorgeous shades of purple. Bloom time can vary from early to late spring, so plant various bulbs to harvest flowers all season long.

Plant tulips in the fall, and after the flowers bloom, leave the foliage in place to collect energy for the next season. 

Butterfly Bushes

Fragrant and deer-resistant butterfly bushes are one of my spring favorites. I was lucky to live at a property with a one-hundred-year-old butterfly bush that cascaded romantically over the path.

Once established, these aromatic perennials are easy to grow. They bloom in late spring, and the beautiful foliage stays through fall. 

Peonies

While commonly known for their lovely pink flowers, peonies are also available in a few shades of purple.

As a herbaceous perennial, a peony plant will return year after year. Peonies can live for decades and offer beautiful green foliage once the blooms have faded. 

Give them well-drained soil and full sun, and don’t worry about the ants! Peonies make perfect cut flowers- learn how to extend their vase life here. 

Sea Thistle

Sea thistle is a unique perennial that boasts purple-blue thistle flowers on long stalks.   They begin to bloom in early June and will stay beautiful through fall.

These plants are low-maintenance and drought-tolerant. 

Vinca

Also known as periwinkle, vinca blooms in early to mid-spring in gorgeous shades of purple, pink, or white. Vinca major can be grown as a ground cover and annual varieties can be added to garden beds and containers. 

Bee Balm

Bee balm is an intriguing flowering perennial that blooms in clumps of vibrant purple flowers. This pollinator-attracting plant can flower as early as mid-June, just in time to make it on this list of spring flowers!

In addition to attracting bees and butterflies, bee balm is deer-resistant. Give bee balm  at least 6 hours of sun and well-drained soil. 

Ranunculus

If you want to add some beautiful shades of burgundy to your flower beds, plant ranunculus!These gorgeous perennials light up the flower beds with bold purple color.

The double-petaled blooms have long stems, making the perfect purple cut flowers. 

Pasque flower

Pasque flowers are whimsical wildflowers that bloom in early to mid-spring. Their soft cup-shaped flowers are available in dark to light purple. To thrive, pasque flowers need full sunlight and loose, well-draining soil. 

Snapdragons

Snapdragons are charming spring perennials in many colors, including rich shades of purple. Plant taller varieties in the garden beds and grow their shorter cousins in pots and containers. 

These colorful flowers are hardy and cold-tolerant, making them a perfect purple plant for spring, and they will bloom again in the colder months of fall!

Hyacinth

Hyacinths are fabulously fragrant flowering bulbs that bloom in early to mid-spring in a wide variety of colors. They are available in many beautiful colors, but purple are the most popular!

Their strong fragrance and charming flower heads make them popular for cottage gardens—plant bulbs in the fall for spring blooms. 

Nemesia

Nemesia are charming flowers that resemble tiny versions of Snapdragons. One of the first flowers to appear in spring, these colorful, short-lived perennials thrive in containers and window boxes. They thrive in partial shade and enjoy the cooler spring and fall temperatures. 

French Lavender

Did you know that some lavender varieties bloom in early to mid-spring? With their healing aroma and iconic flowers, plant lavender in full sun and give it sandy, well-drained soil. Choose from French or English lavender for early blooms. Plant a variety of this herb 

Catmint

Catmint is a beautiful herb that boasts purple flowers similar to lavender. This gorgeous herb is a bee magnet. Once established, catmint is drought-tolerant and very easy to grow.

Cut back catmint after the first rush of flowers to get another set of blooms in late summer!

Anemone

I have a slight obsession with spring blooming anemone, and always plant their fall corms in every home I live in.

With their purple flower heads that bloom and bloom, anemones are lovable and easy to grow. They enjoy moist soil and thrive in part shade.

Do you have a favorite purple flower of spring?

My romantic old soul loves butterfly bushes, lilacs, and hydrangeas. But any little glimpse of color in early spring makes my heart flutter, so it was such a delight to put together this list of spring flowers just for you. 

Please fill out the form below if you have any questions or comments. I love to hear from my readers and personally respond to every message!