Evergreen Shrubs with Purple Flowers – Eye-Catching Color Year-Round

Evergreen shrubs provide the backbone of color and structure in gardens year-round. Those with purple flowers add a special pop that livens up any outdoor space. The contrast of rich purple blooms against the backdrop of green foliage is always eye-catching.

If you’re looking to inject new life into your landscape with vivid purple accents, consider incorporating one of these beautiful evergreen shrubs that flower in this regal color:

Rhododendron

Rhododendrons are classic spring-flowering evergreen shrubs with large clusters of spectacular blooms. There are many varieties featuring rich purple hues. These are hardy, low maintenance shrubs perfect for borders beds, foundations, and woodland gardens.

Popular purple-flowering types include

• PJM – Bright lavender-pink blooms cover this compact plant in spring. Hardy to zone 4.

• Purple Gem – A dwarf rhododendron smothered in vibrant purple flowers in late spring. Grows just 3 feet tall.

• Blue Baron – Stunning large ruffled blooms in bluish-purple. Grows 5 feet tall.

• Purple Splendour – Luscious clusters of frilled purple blooms. Grows up to 8 feet tall.

Rhododendrons do best in well-drained, acidic soil and appreciate some shade in hot climates. Water regularly when establishing and fertilize in early spring. Prune after flowering.

Lavender

Lavender is an herb grown just as often for its delightful fragrance and culinary uses as for its flowers. But those flowers happen to be an iconic shade of aromatic purple. There are over 40 species of lavender along with countless cultivars.

Some top purple-blooming lavenders include:

• English lavender – Features abundant, fragrant purple flower spikes. Grows 2-3 feet tall.

• Spanish lavender – Very hardy with bold purple blooms on 2 foot plants.

• Phenomenal lavender – Large, deep purple blooms on a compact plant. Enhanced cold hardiness.

• Provence lavender – Classic lavender scent and color on 18-24 inch plants.

Lavenders thrive in hot, sunny spots with very well-drained soil. Avoid overwatering which can lead to root rot. Trim spent flowers to promote reblooming.

Camellia

Camellias are broadleaf evergreens valued for their glossy foliage, graceful shapes, and stunning winter blooms. The sasanqua camellia group offers long-blooming varieties with deep purple flowers that provide color when little else is growing.

Some popular purple sasanquas include:

• Purple Dawn – Vibrant violet blooms liberally cover this compact shrub from fall through winter.

• Winter’s Star – Prolific rich purple semi-double blooms up to 5 inches across.

• Purple Prince – Dark reddish-purple petals on a vigorous upright shrub perfect for hedging.

Give camellias rich, acidic, well-drained soil. Water them regularly when young and fertilize in early spring. Prune right after flowering finishes. Grow in full sun to part shade.

Rose

While most roses go deciduous in winter, there are some hardy everblooming types that retain their foliage year-round in mild climates. These make excellent compact hedges or colorful accents in gardens. Deep purple varieties include:

• Purple Diamond – Eye-catching violet flowers on a disease resistant landscape shrub rose.

• Purple Tiger – Velvety rich purple blooms on a spreading rose that grows 4 feet tall and wide.

• Ebb Tide – Fragrant deep purple flowers from spring to frost on this floribunda rose.

• Midnight Blue – Long-blooming small purple roses on a hardy 4 foot tall shrub.

Grow roses in full sun and well-drained soil. Fertilize in early spring and water during dry periods. Prune bushes back by about a third each winter.

Duranta

Commonly called golden dewdrop, duranta is a fast-growing tropical shrub valued for its intense golden-chartreuse colored foliage. But it also produces pretty purple blooms at the ends of its gracefully arching branches. The flowers appear in warm climates throughout the year, followed by tasty golden berries.

There are several duranta species to choose from, such as:

• Duranta erecta – Sprays of light purple or blue flowers. Grows up to 20 feet. Hardy to zone 9.

• Duranta repens – Low growing with violet-blue blooms. Maxes out around 5 feet tall. Hardy to zone 8.

Give duranta full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Prune as needed to shape and limit size. It works nicely as a hedge or specimen shrub in warm regions. Protect from frost.

Caryopteris

Known as bluebeard or blue mist shrub, caryopteris produces masses of blue, purple, or white flowers on its bushy deciduous foliage in late summer and fall. But several varieties have attractive evergreen foliage in warmer zones, allowing you to enjoy the purple blooms as well as colored leaves year-round.

Some top picks include:

• Dark Knight – Near black foliage with deep blue flower spikes. Evergreen in zone 8+. Grows 3 feet tall.

• Snow Fairy – Bright variegated leaves with white edges and violet-blue flowers. Evergreen in zone 7+. Maxes out at 4 feet.

• First Choice – Blue-green leaves and pale lavender-blue blooms. Grows up to 5 feet tall.

Caryopteris thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It’s drought and heat tolerant once established. Prune hard in late winter to promote new growth and flowering.

Hebe

Hebes are neat little evergreen shrubs in the Veronica family, most native to New Zealand. They produce charming spikes of purple flowers in summer over compact mounds of attractive foliage. There are over 100 hebe cultivars available featuring various sizes, leaf colors, and bloom shades.

Some petite purple-flowering varieties perfect for containers or edging include:

• Purple Shamrock – Deep purple blooms on 6 inch plants with glossy rounded leaves.

• Red Edge – Lavender flowers and red-tipped green leaves on a 1 foot tall shrub.

• Midsummer Beauty – Long blooming light purple spikes above deep green leaves. Grows 18 inches tall and wide.

Hebes grow well in full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Avoid chalky or wet heavy soils. Trim off spent flowers to encourage reblooming. These are great compact shrubs for color in mild climates.

Enjoy Year-Round Purple Blooms

Add a pop of regal color to your landscape all year long by incorporating one of these eye-catching evergreen shrubs that flower in shades of rich purple. They provide structure along with vivid color. With the right growing conditions, these beauties will thrive for years, lighting up your garden every time their colorful blooms appear.