Tall Purple Flowering Perennials: Your Ultimate Guide To Majestic

ByRimon Chowdhury Updated on

Are you dreaming of a garden with dramatic height and captivating color? It’s a common goal for so many of us gardeners, but finding plants that deliver that vertical “wow” factor without being fussy can feel like a challenge.

You see stunning photos of gardens filled with majestic spires of lavender, violet, and deep plum, and you want that for your own backyard. The good news is, it’s completely achievable, even for beginners!

I promise this complete guide will give you the confidence and knowledge you need to choose, plant, and nurture the perfect tall purple flowering perennials. We’ll explore my absolute favorite varieties, walk through a simple planting process, cover essential care tips, and even troubleshoot a few common issues. Let’s create the garden of your dreams, together.

Why Choose Tall Purple Flowering Perennials? The Unbeatable Benefits

Before we dive into the specific plants, let’s talk about why these garden gems are such a fantastic choice. The benefits of tall purple flowering perennials go far beyond just looking pretty. They are true workhorses in landscape design.

Here’s why I recommend them to every gardener I meet:

  • They Create Vertical Interest: A garden that is all one height can feel a bit flat. Tall perennials draw the eye upward, creating a sense of depth, structure, and grandeur. They act as beautiful exclamation points in your garden beds!
  • They Are a Magnet for Pollinators: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds absolutely adore the color purple. Planting these flowers is one of the easiest ways to create a buzzing, vibrant, and eco-friendly tall purple flowering perennials garden that supports local wildlife.
  • They Offer Low-Maintenance Beauty: “Perennial” means it comes back year after year. Once established, these plants are incredibly reliable and require far less work than annuals. This is a core principle of creating a sustainable tall purple flowering perennials garden.
  • Purple is a Designer’s Dream: Purple is a versatile and harmonious color. It pairs beautifully with almost everything—glowing next to yellows and oranges, creating a cool and serene vibe with blues and whites, and adding richness alongside pinks and reds.

Our Top 7 Picks: The Best Tall Purple Flowering Perennials for Your Garden

Ready to meet the stars of the show? After years of trial and error in my own garden, these are my tried-and-true favorites. This is the heart of our tall purple flowering perennials guide, designed to help you find the perfect match.

1. Delphinium (Delphinium elatum)

Often called the “Queen of the Border,” Delphiniums are the epitome of garden majesty. Their towering, densely packed flower spikes are simply breathtaking.

  • Height: 3-6 feet
  • Bloom Time: Early to mid-summer
  • Sun Needs: Full sun
  • Why We Love It: Nothing provides a more dramatic vertical accent. The shades of purple, from lavender to deep indigo, are simply unmatched.
  • Pro Tip: Delphiniums can be top-heavy, so staking is essential. Place stakes early in the season to allow the plant to grow into the support naturally.

2. ‘Amistad’ Salvia (Salvia ‘Amistad’)

If you want a plant that blooms its heart out from spring until the first frost, ‘Amistad’ is your answer. Its deep indigo-purple flowers with near-black calyxes are a favorite of hummingbirds.

  • Height: 4-5 feet
  • Bloom Time: Late spring to fall
  • Sun Needs: Full sun to light shade
  • Why We Love It: It’s one of the longest-blooming perennials you can find. It’s also incredibly drought-tolerant once established.
  • Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to give it a light trim in mid-summer if it starts to look leggy. This will encourage a fresh flush of growth and even more flowers.

3. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

For a completely different texture, Russian Sage brings an airy, silvery-purple haze to the garden. Its fine foliage and delicate lavender-purple flower spikes create a soft, cloud-like effect.

  • Height: 3-5 feet
  • Bloom Time: Mid-summer to fall
  • Sun Needs: Full sun
  • Why We Love It: It thrives on neglect! It loves hot, dry conditions and poor soil, making it perfect for those tough spots in the garden.
  • Pro Tip: Wait to prune Russian Sage until new growth emerges in the spring. This helps protect the crown of the plant through the winter.
READ MORE  Popular Vegetables To Grow - The Ultimate Guide For A Thriving Harvest

4. Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

Also known as Gayfeather, Liatris is unique because its fuzzy, bottle-brush-like flowers bloom from the top down. It’s a North American native and a pollinator powerhouse.

  • Height: 2-4 feet
  • Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
  • Sun Needs: Full sun
  • Why We Love It: Its unusual bloom habit and stiff, upright form make it a fantastic textural contrast to softer, mounding plants. It’s also very tolerant of a wide range of soil types.
  • Pro Tip: Plant Liatris in groups of 3 or 5 for the most impactful visual display. The repeated vertical lines look stunning.

5. ‘Globemaster’ Allium (Allium ‘Globemaster’)

For a touch of whimsy and architectural drama, nothing beats a giant Allium. These plants produce enormous, globe-shaped purple flower heads on tall, leafless stems.

  • Height: 3-4 feet
  • Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
  • Sun Needs: Full sun
  • Why We Love It: They look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book! Even after the color fades, the dried seed heads provide interest for months.
  • Pro Tip: Allium foliage tends to yellow and die back before the flowers even open. Plant them behind other perennials (like Hostas or Lady’s Mantle) to hide their “ugly ankles.”

6. Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

This elegant native perennial adds a sophisticated touch with its slender, candelabra-like spires of pale lavender-purple flowers. It has a very refined, architectural look.

  • Height: 4-7 feet
  • Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
  • Sun Needs: Full sun to part shade
  • Why We Love It: Its whorled leaves add interest even when the plant isn’t in bloom. It’s a fantastic choice for adding height to the back of a border without being overly bulky.
  • Pro Tip: Culver’s Root is one of the few tall perennials that rarely needs staking, making it a truly low-maintenance gem.

7. Monkshood (Aconitum napellus)

For gardeners needing a tall purple bloomer for a shadier spot, Monkshood is a spectacular choice. It produces dense spires of hooded, deep violet-blue flowers late in the season.

  • Height: 3-5 feet
  • Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
  • Sun Needs: Part shade
  • Why We Love It: It brings a shot of intense color to the garden when many other plants are starting to fade. It thrives in moist, woodland-style gardens.
  • Pro Tip: A very important note: all parts of the Monkshood plant are highly toxic if ingested. Always wear gloves when handling it and plant it away from areas where children or pets play.

The Ultimate Tall Purple Flowering Perennials Guide: Planting for Success

You’ve picked your favorites, and now it’s time to get them in the ground! Following a few simple steps will ensure your new plants get the best possible start. This section covers how to tall purple flowering perennials get established and thrive.

Choosing the Right Spot

This is the most critical step! Pay close attention to the plant tag. Most of the plants on our list crave at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Good air circulation is also key to preventing fungal diseases like powdery mildew. Finally, envision the plant at its mature size and give it plenty of room to grow without crowding its neighbors.

Preparing Your Soil

Healthy soil equals healthy plants. Most perennials prefer well-draining soil. If you have heavy clay, amend it by mixing in a generous amount of compost. This not only improves drainage but also adds vital nutrients, which is a cornerstone of eco-friendly tall purple flowering perennials gardening.

A Step-by-Step Planting Process

Don’t worry—this is the easy part! Follow these simple steps for planting success:

  1. Dig a hole that is twice as wide as the plant’s nursery pot and just as deep.
  2. Gently squeeze the sides of the pot to loosen the plant. Tip it over and carefully slide the plant out. If the roots are tightly wound (root-bound), gently tease them apart with your fingers.
  3. Place the plant in the center of the hole, ensuring the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil.
  4. Backfill the hole with the soil you removed, gently tamping it down to remove any air pockets.
  5. Water the newly planted perennial deeply and thoroughly to help settle the soil around the roots.
  6. Add a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch (like shredded bark or compost) around the base of the plant, but be sure to keep it from touching the stem. This helps retain moisture and suppress weeds.

The Essential Tall Purple Flowering Perennials Care Guide

Your plants are in the ground—hooray! Now, let’s cover the tall purple flowering perennials best practices to keep them looking their best all season long. This simple tall purple flowering perennials care guide makes maintenance a breeze.

READ MORE  Raised Vegetable Garden Soil Preparation – A Step-By-Step Guide

Watering Wisely

For the first year, your perennials will need consistent moisture to establish a strong root system. After that, most are quite drought-tolerant. The key is to water deeply and infrequently, rather than giving them a light sprinkle every day. This encourages roots to grow deep into the soil where they can find moisture even during dry spells.

The Importance of Staking

There’s nothing more heartbreaking than finding your beautiful, bloom-laden Delphinium snapped in half after a rainstorm. For taller, heavy-blooming varieties, proactive staking is a must. Install grow-through grids, bamboo stakes, or decorative supports early in the season. It’s much harder to wrangle a plant that has already started to flop.

Deadheading for More Blooms

Deadheading is simply the process of removing spent flowers. For plants like Salvia and Delphinium, snipping off the old flower spikes encourages the plant to produce a second, smaller flush of blooms, extending the color in your garden.

Solving Common Problems with Tall Purple Flowering Perennials

Even the most experienced gardeners run into issues. Here’s how to tackle some common problems with tall purple flowering perennials before they get out of hand.

Dealing with Powdery Mildew

This is a common fungal disease that looks like a white, powdery coating on leaves. The best defense is a good offense! Ensure your plants have good air circulation (don’t plant them too close together) and try to water the soil, not the foliage. If it appears, you can treat it with an organic fungicide like neem oil.

Why Aren’t My Perennials Blooming?

This is a frustrating one! The most common culprit is not enough sun. Most of these plants need full sun to produce abundant flowers. Other reasons could be too much nitrogen fertilizer (which promotes leafy growth at the expense of flowers) or the plant may simply be too young and needs another year to mature.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tall Purple Flowering Perennials

What are the best tall purple perennials for full sun?

You have so many wonderful options! Delphinium, Russian Sage, Liatris (Blazing Star), ‘Amistad’ Salvia, and ‘Globemaster’ Allium all thrive and bloom best in at least 6-8 hours of direct sun per day. They are perfect for adding that vertical punch to a sunny border.

Do I need to divide my tall purple flowering perennials?

Yes, eventually. Most perennials benefit from being divided every 3-5 years. You’ll know it’s time when you see a dead spot in the center of the clump or if the plant’s flowering has diminished. Dividing them is a great way to rejuvenate the plant and get more plants for free!

How can I make my garden more eco-friendly with these plants?

This is one of the best tall purple flowering perennials tips! Choose native varieties like Liatris or Culver’s Root when possible, as they best support local pollinators. Avoid chemical pesticides, use compost to feed your soil, and collect rainwater for irrigation. These simple acts create a healthier ecosystem right in your backyard.

Your Majestic Purple Garden Awaits

There you have it—everything you need to bring breathtaking height and glorious purple hues into your garden. From the dramatic spires of Delphinium to the airy wands of Russian Sage, there is a perfect plant waiting for you.

Remember that gardening is a journey, not a destination. Start with one or two of these beauties, give them the care they need, and watch how they transform your space. You now have the knowledge and confidence to create a garden that not only looks spectacular but also supports the world around it.

Go forth and grow!

Rimon Chowdhury
Latest posts by Rimon Chowdhury (see all)

Similar Posts