Who doesn’t want to have herbs in their garden? They add zing to kitchen recipes and serve as excellent home remedies for mild ailments.
Besides, the sight and scent of herbs in your yard are also stress-relieving, making you relax after a busy day.
However, your gardening experience is more refreshing when you plant beautiful herbs with purple flowers. The purple color is appealing and stands for magic, mystery, spirituality, and creativity.
13 Purple Flowered Herbs For Your Garden
Most of these herbs are low-maintenance and last for many years, supplying you with long-lasting fragrance. Here are 13 of the most beautiful of them:
1. Lavender (Lavandula)
Also known as Lavandula, Lavender is a fragrant perennial herb containing purple flowers.
It’s found in the mint family, Lamiaceae, and spread in many parts of the world, such as the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Europe, Northern and Eastern Africa, and the Mediterranean.
The herb blooms in early Spring and continues through to summer. It’s not fussy about the soil you choose to plant it in as long as it’s well-draining. The soil pH should range from 6.5 to 7.5.
Lavender tolerates hot temperatures and humidity. The plant produces purple flowers that can last from 4 weeks to 3 months.
Their duration of stay is pegged on the variety. These purple flowers are spike-like, small, and multiple growing in narrow, elongated stems.
Not all Lavenders can tolerate hot temperatures. You are better off growing some varieties like English Lavender in cool climates.
You can grow them from seeds or cuttings, depending on what method is the most convenient for you.
Gardeners have been using Lavender as a soothing fragrance for a long time. It has various other uses such as essential oils, a pain reliever, an additive in beauty products, and in salads.
2. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Chive is a flowering plant in the family of Amaryllidaceae with edible flowers and leaves. The plant is widespread in Asia, Europe, and North America.
It’s a bulb-forming herb you will find in grocery stores and home gardens.
Chives grow to 30-50cm spreading 1cm wide. They have upright grass-like leaves with a terete or tubular appearance.
Their star-shaped and pale purple flowers are found at the plant top.
Chives thrive in full to partial sunlight with fertile and well-draining soil. Frequent soil fertilization promotes healthy growth.
Chives have an onion-like taste which makes them ideal for culinary use. For example, you could use the flowers in salad recipes.
The herb is well known for its medicinal properties, such as mood enhancement and bone health improvement. It is also a rich source of Vitamin K.
3. Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sage is typically identified as a culinary herb with beautiful purple flowers. It’s native to the Mediterranean region but spread worldwide— its leaves are still useful even after flowering.
The herb packs an irresistible flavor punch reminiscent of a cozy thanksgiving dinner. You can grow it as a perennial in warm climates.
It also fits as an annual in cool areas. Cover it with mulch during winter for healthy growth.
Sage blooms have a blue to purple shade and grow on woody stems.
The best growing conditions are full to partial sunlight, with well-draining soil. The pH range should be between 6 and 7.
Sage is low-maintenance with less need for care. Its peppery flavor is primarily used in cuisines across America, Europe, and the Middle East.
It also has several health benefits— it promotes oral health, regulates blood sugar and cholesterol, and reduces menopause symptoms.
4. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
Rosemary is an evergreen perennial herb with needle-like leaves and flowers ranging from white, purple, and pink to blue. The herb is found in the family Lamiaceae. It’s native to the Mediterranean region and Asia.
Rosemary grows to a height of 2cm with leaves that are 2-4cm long and up to 5mm wide.
The plant blooms in spring and extends up to summer; however, there are exceptions to this pattern, with some variants producing flowers in mid-February.
Rosemary is hardy and can tolerate harsh growing conditions. The ideal growing environment includes full sunlight exposure, well-draining soil, good air circulation, and a consistent fertilizer application.
You can use Rosemary in DIY home decorations such as table settings and holiday decor. The herb is also helpful in flavoring roast meats and stuffing.
Like other herbs, rosemary also has many health benefits, such as enhancing concentration and memory, improving blood circulation, and protecting against macular degeneration.
5. Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Catnip has many other names such as catswort, catsmint, Nepeta cataria, and catwort. It’s found in the family Lamiaceae and native to Central Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and some areas of China.
Their triangular leaves are brown and green with square-shaped stems. Catnip grows to a maximum height of 100cm.
The herb thrives best in full to partial sunlight with well-draining soil types. Their fertilizer requirement is minimal.
Catnip also has numerous health benefits. Some of them include aiding the digestive system, reducing cramps and fever, and supporting weight loss.
It also has antiseptic properties beneficial for your hair and scalp.
6. Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)
Echinacea is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant found in the daisy family. They love growing in moist to dry prairies classical of Central and Eastern North America.
The plant blooms in summer and goes all the way to fall.
Their flowers are large, resembling sunflowers. They are adorned with purple petals and can grow up to 5 feet tall.
The growing conditions of Echinacea are more or less similar to the other herbs. It requires 4 hours of full sunlight daily— the soils should be well-draining.
Echinacea contains antioxidants and is used in lifestyle health products. In addition, the herb has other health benefits, some of which are:
- Maintaining healthy skin
- Lowering blood sugar levels
- Improving the immune system
- Reducing body inflammation
7. Tulip (Tulipa)
Tulips are popular flowers that are loved because of their ease of growth. They are native to Southern Europe and Central Asia.
It’s a perennial herbaceous plant characterized by large bright flowers that are showy. The flowers are cup-shaped and symmetric but can also take a variety of other shapes.
The colors range from white, red, pink, yellow, and purple.
Tulips grow to a height of 71cm. They love full sunlight and well-draining soils with a pH range of 5-7.
Ensure to shelter them from strong winds while maintaining a proper spacing of 4-6 inches apart.
Tulips are used in bouquets, tables, and general decorations. You can use them as a substitute for onions.
Gifting them to friends or loved ones is commonplace.
8. Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
Spearmint is an easy-to-grow herb with a fast rate of multiplication that could quickly colonize your garden. The plant is perennial, growing up to a height of 100cm.
The herb has its origins in Turkey but has spread to other parts of the world, such as Africa, Asia, Europe, and America. Some gardeners contain the herb by growing it in a pot.
Alternatively, you could cut it back after the end of the flowering season to reduce seed spread.
Spearmint produces light purple flowers on slender spikes and can grow in partial shade to full sun. Its leaves and stems are hairless to hairy.
Grow them in well-drained soil to promote rapid growth. However, it would be best to watch over it since it has a penchant for colonizing an area.
Spearmint is used as a beverage in tea. It also serves well as an additive for several dishes. Apart from making a mint sauce, you can also sprinkle it as a spice in salads and food.
Spearmints are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients. This makes them an effective remedy for toothache, gas, sore throat, cramps, and indigestion.
9. Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Oregano is a perennial herb that thrives in a temperate climate. However, you can grow it as an annual crop in cooler temperatures.
It belongs to the mint family and is a native to the Mediterranean region. The herb is also native to other areas such as South East Asia, Europe, the Himalayas, Taiwan, China, and northeastern America.
Oregano grows to a height of up to 80cm. It has olive-green leaves with spade-shaped purple flowers.
For best results, plant them in early spring under full sunlight. The planting soil should be well-draining, mildly acidic, to strong alkaline (6.0-9.0). It prefers a dry climate but can thrive in other environments.
Oregano is rich in various nutrients such as potassium, iron, manganese, magnesium, fiber, and vitamins K and E.
Thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, the herb adds value to your health. Some of the health benefits to mention are improved bone and oral health.
It also has multiple uses in culinary. For example, you can sprinkle it on your pizzas, beef, or chicken to give them flavor. You could also use oregano to prepare herby rolls.
10. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Thyme is a herb in the Lamiaceae family. It is native to the Mediterranean region and produces numerous small purple flowers.
The herb has a woody base, appearing bushy with minute green leaves. Their flowers are purple but can sometimes be pink. The herb loves plenty of sunlight and soil with a pH range of 6-7.
You could also grow it indoors under the right conditions. Thyme has various uses— medicinal, culinary, and ornamental. The culinary uses of Thyme include additions to salads and soups.
It’s used medicinally to get rid of everyday skin problems and reduce high blood pressure.
Ornamentally, it is used to provide a sweet aroma.
11. Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Anise hyssop has several names— fragrant giant hyssop, giant blue hyssop, and giant lavender hyssop. It’s a perennial herb found in the family Lamiaceae and native to North and North-central America.
It’s a darling to the bees that love its nectar for making honey.
Anise hyssop can grow up to 120cm, forming an upright and clamp-like shape. The plant grows to a width of 30cm.
Their leaves have an oval-tooth shape with a white tint below them. It has bright lavender flowers that bloom from July to September. The flowers show up in false whorls and tolerate drought conditions.
Grow it in well-draining soil for the best results.
Anise hyssop has both medicinal and culinary use. It’s efficient in the treatment of diarrhea, wounds, and cough. It is also handy in flavoring soups, desserts, and pasta.
12. Peony
Peony belongs to the Paeoniaceae family. It’s native to Europe, Western North America, and Europe.
Most peonies are perennial herbaceous; however, we have a few of them that grow as woody shrubs.
Their leaves are large and deeply lobed. The herb carries multiple flower types, including Japanese, single, semi-double, bombe, and anemone.
The flower types vary in color from rose, red, bright yellow, deep purple, pink, and coral. They have a short blooming season that lasts up to 10 days.
You will find them in temperate regions as popular garden plants. The best-growing conditions are 8 hours of sunlight and moist, well-drained soil.
You also want to protect them against strong winds.
Peony has a range of medicinal uses, such as relieving pain during cramps and improving fertility in women. Peonies are also handy in beautifying your home.
13. Wild Indigo (Baptisia)
Also known as false indigo, wild indigo is found in the Fabaceae family. It’s a herbaceous perennial containing pea-like flowers. Their flower colors are purple and blue.
Wild indigo is native to Southern and Eastern North America, growing in the grassland and woodland environments.
They love full sunlight and slightly acidic soils. Thanks to their colorful flowers, they have been used as a dye historically.
The herb is packed with alkaloids that give you several health benefits. For example, it helps to keep your immunity in check.
Other health benefits include treating the nose, mouth, and ear infections, maintaining oral hygiene, healing injured body parts and treating unhealthy abdomen issues.
Conclusion
We just gave you a list of the herbs with purple flowers. As you may have noticed, each carries unique features and characteristics.
Whatever choice you may have over them, each of the herbs packs culinary, medicinal, and ornamental benefits that are sure to bring a change to your garden, health, and diet.
We also highlighted their growing conditions so that you can have sustainable yields while cultivating them. A majority of them thrive in well-draining soil and sufficient sunlight.
Happy herb gardening!
