25 Purple Flowers That Look Like Lavender: Complete List

Purple flowers that look like lavender will add beauty and harmony to your landscape. Lavender flowers symbolize purity, loyalty, and grace, but several flowering plants grow purple blooms that resemble the look of the lavender flower.

This article will show and lead you towards everything you need to know about purple flowers that resemble lavender and will make your garden pop with colors that range from light lilac to deep violet.

List of Purple Flowers That Look Like Lavender

1. Texas Bluebell

Texas bluebell or Eustoma grandiflorum grows purple flowers that stay in bloom from summer till the first frost. Some varieties grow flowers in shades of pink, blue-violet, lavender, or white, and it’s considered an excellent cut flower. 

– Specific Needs

The Texas bluebell thrives in USDA zones 8 to 10, reaching a height of 30 inches tall. It shares the exact growing requirements as Agapanthus orientalis or even the African lily. This means that you can combine both flowers for an attractive landscape design. 

Texas bluebell needs about six hours of sun, but partial shade is recommended in the afternoon. 

– Common Issues

The Texas Bluebell plant is usually healthy, but can suffer from Lievellula taurico, a whitish mold that ruins its appearance, and would harm it, in the long run, if it is not taken care of. 

2. Carnation

Carnation, or Dianthus caryophyllus, is one of the oldest blooms that have been used as cut flowers. 

– Features

The blooms have a ruffly appearance and come in shades of pink, purple, coral, red, and white, with a spicy clove-like smell. Carnations are popular in cottage gardens and are deer-resistant, which means that deer would not come and eat your gorgeous flowers at night. 

– Specific Needs

Carnation is easy to grow in USDA zones 7 to 10, just like the purple pansy and prefers moist soil, so adding mulch is recommended. The plant can survive in full sun to partial shade and needs regular watering in spring. 

– Common Issue

Carnation can cause mild skin irritation and is toxic to cats, especially if they ingested in large amounts.

3. Spring Crocus

Spring crocus or Crocus vernus is a low-growing perennial that forms an attractive ground cover. 

– Characteristics

It’s one of the earliest bloomers in your garden, sometimes emerging from the snow. The blooms can be mauve, purple, pink, blue, orange, yellow, or white.

– Specific Needs

The beautiful flowers grow in USDA zones 3 to 8 and can tolerate some shade. Spring crocus is low-maintenance, but requires regular watering. 

– Toxicity Trait

The plant is toxic, and fall-blooming varieties are more dangerous, you must make sure that no child or pet would ingest it accidentally, or else they will be intoxicated. 

4. Spike Speedwell

Spike speedwell or Veronica spicata looks a lot like lavender. 

– Characteristics

It has purplish-blue, pink, and white star-shaped flowers that grow on spikes. On the other hand, the flowers bloom in late spring and early summer and attract pollinators to butterfly gardens, mainly when grown with other flowers like bee orchid or Ophrys apifera. 

– Specific Needs

Spike speedwell grows in USDA zones 3 to 8 and adds beauty to rock gardens. It’s a low-maintenance plant and can grow in border beds. The plant thrives in sunny spots and prefers loamy, well-draining soil, and it becomes drought-resistant once mature.

– Pest Infestation

Snails, slugs, and aphids usually attack the spike speedwell plant, and they would lay eggs and the larvae would grow and eat the leaves, so you should apply neem oil if this takes place, this oil will repel the pests away.

5. Chinese Wisteria

Chinese wisteria or Wisteria sinensis is a perennial woody vine covered with white hairs. The purple or violet flowers start to bloom in spring, giving this vine its beautiful look. 

– Specific Needs

Chinese Wisteria thrives in USDA 5 to 8 with other flowers like Canterbury bells or Campanula medium. Remember that you must keep the plant in moist, well-draining soil. 

– Toxicity Trait

Once mature, the vine can reach the height of 25 feet tall. Unfortunately, the attractive plant is toxic to humans and pets. As, it is considered an invasive or an attacking plant in 19 American states. 

6. Sweat Pea

Sweat pea or Lathyrus odoratus flowers are common in cottage gardens. 

– Features

The flowers are grown on trellises or across fences with other pretty flowering plants like bittersweet nightshade or Solanum dulcamara.

The flowers are usually purple however, it can also be lavender, pink, red, blue, or white, and they bloom in summer and fall. 

– Specific Needs

Sweet pea grows in USDA zones 3 to 8 and needs some afternoon shade. The fragrant sweat pea flowers are toxic to humans and pets, like the violet-blue false indigo or Baptisia australis flowers, also known as wild indigo. 

7. Cinnamon Basil

Cinnamon or Mexican basil is a culinary herb with a spicy flavor and some cinnamon notes. It has bright green leaves with purple or pink blooms that look a lot like lavender flowers. 

– Benefits

In addition, the cinnamon basil is not only used because it raises the aesthetics of a garden, but this herb is delicious when added to summer salads, hence it is even considered an edible choice.

– Specific Needs

Cinnamon basil grows in USDA zones 9 to 11 with other sun-loving plants like Sinningia speciosa and Cyclamen persicum. However, cinnamon basil can tolerate partial shade. Note that aphids and Japanese beetles can attack cinnamon basil.

8. Mealy Cup Sage

Salvia farinacea, mealy cup sage, or Victoria blue salvia is a plant that grows attractive deep blue to violet perennial flowers that bring elegance and beauty to any landscape. 

– Benefits

The plant is known specifically for its healing properties, and it is used in medicine.

Not only that, but in addition, it will attract butterflies to your butterfly garden, hence it is often planted. 

– Specific Needs

The plant thrives in USDA zones 8 to 10 and can do well in any soil. Powdery mildew usually covers the leaves of the mealy cup sage because of bad air circulation, but the plant usually recovers in the next season. The purple salvia flowers will bloom for about five years.

9. Japanese Thistle

Japanese thistle or Cirsium japonicum grows fluffy purple clumps of flowers that bloom in August and September.

– Benefits

The leaves and roots are edible, and the roots boil is used for inflammations. The pretty flowers attract pollinators. 

– Specific Needs

The Japanese thistle thrives in USDA zones 5 to 9. It grows in loamy soil with full sun exposure, and you can pair it with other thistles like sea thistle or sea holly. These are also the same growing requirements of Iris reticulata or dwarf Iris, so you can combine these attractive plants for an elegant landscape design. 

However, the Japanese thistle plant won’t grow in the shade and can become invasive if not kept under control.

10. Russian Sage

Russian sage or Perovskia atriplicifolia is a low-maintenance flowering shrub that looks like lavender. The plant stays in bloom for a long season, growing bluish lavender flowers that maintain their look till fall.

– Features

It looks a lot like the Lavandula angustifolia when in bloom, and the fragrant flowers repel most pests, so they will protect your other plants. It comes from a family that includes other pretty purple flowers like Salvia nemorosa or woodland sage. 

Taller varieties require staking and are extremely drought-resistant once established. The beautiful purple salvias take a lot of time to bloom when grown from seeds.

– Specific Needs

Russian sage grows in USDA zones 3 to 9, with other fabulous purple flowers like the blazing star flower. It needs access to full sun to bloom and must be grown in well-draining soil to protect the plant from root rot. 

11. Morning Glory

The morning glory is one of the earliest vines to bloom in your garden, with attractive flowers that come in shades of purple, blue, pink, and white. 

– Characteristics

The fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. This plant attaches to trellises and self-sows to come the following year. 

– Specific Needs

Ipomoea purpurea, or common morning glory flowers, will bloom in bright sunlight. The plant thrives in USDA zones 2 to 11, with other flowers like China aster or Callistephus chinensis. Common morning glory prefers slightly moist, well-draining soil, and pests rarely attack it, but it’s toxic to humans and pets.

12. Giant Hyssop 

The giant hyssop is a popular fence and border plant, with pale purple or pink fragrant flowers. 

– Benefits

This plant attracts bees and other pollinators to your butterfly garden, which means that you can grow it with other flowers that appeal to pollinators, like common comfrey or Symphytum officinale. It’s popular in traditional Chinese medicine, and people use the leaves in soup, tea, and salads.

– Growing Season

This purple perennial blooms from late summer to late fall, starting from its second year. 

– Specific Needs

Giant hyssop grows in USDA zones 4 to 8 with common mallow or Malva sylvestris and wild hyacinth and prefers full sun to partial shade. It’s tolerant of different soil conditions without too much fertilizing. However, due to its height, the giant hyssop can shade shorter flowering plants, like dwarf Iris, if they are planted next to it, of course.

13. Catnip

Catnip or nepeta cataria is a short purple flowering perennial that creates an attractive ground cover in your garden. 

– Features

It has deep blue-purple or lavender flowers that bloom in spring and summer and fragrant green-gray Lacey foliage. The flowers can also come in shades of pink and white, but these are less common.

– Specific Needs

The catnip plant grows in USDA zones 4 to 8 and prefers full sun to partial shade, which means that you can grow it with French mallow or mystic merlin. It thrives on neglect with other less demanding plants like Alpine betony or Stachys monieri, unlike most shrubs that look like lavender. 

It’s recommended to grow plants in humus-rich well-draining soil, but several varieties grow in clay or rocky soil. Catnip becomes drought and pest-resistant once established. 

14. Butterfly Bush

The butterfly bush, or Buddleja davidii, is a perennial bush with coarse leaves and gorgeous purple flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. 

– Characteristics

Some varieties produce large clusters of purple flowers, while others produce sparse flowering spikes with blooms that come in shades of pink, blue, white, and yellow.

Since lavender is toxic to pets, the butterfly bush will work for you if you want a purple flower that looks like lavender but isn’t toxic. 

– Specific Needs

Butterfly bush grows in USDA zones 5 to 9, just like different types of lavender plants. It’s resilient and thrives in harsh environments. However, the butterfly bush can become invasive in your garden when neglected.

15. Rosemary

Rosemary is one of the plants that grow little flowers that have light purple color and do look like lavender.

– Characteristics

Rosemary is a fragrant culinary perennial plant with light blue to white flowers that bloom from in the months of late spring to early summer and attract pollinators. On the other hand, the woody stems have a moderate-growth rate. 

– Specific Needs

The rosemary shrub grows in USDA zones 8 to 10, but you can start it in an indoor container any time of the year. You shouldn’t let taller trees shade your rosemary, or it won’t bloom. 

It thrives in well-draining loamy or sandy soil and tolerates under watering better than overwatering. Poor air circulation and high humidity can cause powdery mildew. 

16. Balloon Flowers

The balloon flower plant grows buds that swell to produce star-shaped blooms. The flowers can be blue-violet, purple, white, or pink and usually stay in bloom all summer. The beautiful perennial flowers can be an excellent addition to your borders or rock garden. They also attract pollinators. 

– Specific Needs

Balloon flowers grow in USDA zones 3 to 8, and the taller varieties need staking. This plant needs at least six hours of sun, but some afternoon shade is necessary. 

– Drawbacks

One of the issue that the Balloon flowers would cause is that they attract slugs and snails that will live near it, these pests will kill your plants. In addition, the crown and root rot can harm your plants. 

17. Common Lilac

Common lilac flowers or Syringa vulgaris come from the olive family. This is a low-maintenance ornamental plant that has been popular in landscaping design since medieval times.

– Features

The shrubs of the common lilac grow to reach a height of 16 feet, and this makes them perfect for hedges. The flowers are usually lilac, but they can be purple, white, or pink. 

– Specific Needs

Common lilac flowers thrive in USDA zones 3 to 7 and prefer full sun. The plant likes loamy, well-draining soil and is prone to several pests, including aphids, lilac borers, and voles. 

– Drawback

Numerous diseases like root rot and gray mold can also attack this plant. 

18. Purple Coneflower

The purple coneflower or Echinacea purpurea plant takes about two years to produce the first purple or pink blooms. 

– Specific Needs

The purple coneflower grows in USDA zones 3 to 8 and blooms in early summer.

The plant survives in different soil conditions, however note that it doesn’t tolerate soggy soil. Second-year plants will only need watering during periods of drought. 

– Pros

The flowers attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and finches to your garden. 

– Cons

Aster yellows can infect this plant and cause deformity of the flowers.

19. Foxglove

Foxglove, lady’s glove, or Digitalis purpurea is an eye-catching plant with tubular blooms that come in different shades of purple, pink, white, red, and yellow. Although you can grow this plant from seeds, nursery plants in their second year will bloom faster. 

– Specific Needs

The common foxglove is easy to grow in full sun to partial shades in USDA zones 4 to 10, so you can pair it with other plants that share the same growing requirements, like the blue-eyed grass. It prefers rich, well-draining soil, which should be kept moist, not soggy.

The beautiful purple foxglove flowers are toxic to humans and pets. Insects like aphids, Japanese beetles, and slugs usually attack this plant. 

20. Monkshood

Aconitum napellus, or monkshood, is a slow-growing perennial flower. 

– Features

Blooms can be purple, blue, yellow, white, or pink, and they start appearing in summer. This plant takes about two years to begin blooming. 

– Specific Needs

The monkshood grows in USDA 3 to 8 in well-draining soil. It can handle partial shade and needs plenty of water, especially when it is in the blooming season. In addition, remember to use organic fertilizer, in the early spring time.

– Issues

The beautiful monkshood plant is extremely toxic, so you should wear protective gloves while handling it. 

21. Blue Mistflower

Blue mistflower or Conoclinium coelestinum grows purple-blue clusters of fuzzy flowers. 

– Benefits

The nectar-rich flowers attract pollinators and can complement the look of other beautiful flowers like the calla lily, so choose a matching variety like a purple calla to enhance the look of your landscape. The blue mistflower attracts pollinators. 

– Specific Needs

It’s a fast grower and can become invasive. The blue mistflower thrives in USDA zones 5 to 10 and needs some shade in extremely hot weather. Moist soil is essential for this flower, but it’s tolerant of different soil conditions. 

– Issues

Leaf miners and powdery mildew can affect this plant. 

22. Dendrobium Orchid

The dendrobium orchid grows as an epiphyte, attaching itself to tree branches. It’s a moderate to fast grower and sometimes retains its leaves through winter. The dendrobium orchid has blooms that come in pastel shades of purple, violet, pink, yellow, orange, green, yellow, and brown. The flowers stay in bloom from spring to fall. 

– Specific Needs

There are several varieties of this orchid that grow in USDA zones 9 to 12, and they can survive in partial shade. These orchids need to grow in well-draining acidic soil and can work as container plants, so you can grow them with other showy flowers like cattleya orchid. Mealybugs usually attack the dendrobium orchid, and too much water can cause root rot. 

23. Bell Heather

Bell heather or Erica cinerea is a common choice for rock and gravel, coastal, and woodland gardens. 

– Features

It grows dark pink-purple bell-shaped flowers that bloom from late spring to early fall, and they attract pollinators. Honeybees that feed bell heathers produce fragrant honey. 

– Specific Needs

Bell heather grows in USDA zones 6 to 8, growing from a low shrub that thrives in slightly acidic, well-draining soil. Grow it next to a taller plant like the bear’s breeches or Acanthus mollis, as it shares the same requirements, and the tall plant can protect your bell heathers from the strong winds. 

24. Annual Honesty

Annual honesty, or Lunaria annua, is a biennial that grows purple to white flowers.

– Characteristics

The flowers bloom from spring to early summer and then get replaced by seed pods. The annual honesty flowers attract pollinators and can be grown along borders. The plant self-sows and is resilient to most pests.

– Specific Needs

The annual honesty plant grows in USDA zones 5 to 9 and reaches a maximum height of three feet. It’s a sun lover, but can survive in partial shade as long as the soil is well-draining and rich in organic matter. 

25. Anise Hyssop

Anise hyssop or Agastache foeniculum gets its name from the fragrant foliage that gives off an anise-like smell. 

– Features

The plant grows flower spikes that can be blueish lavender or purple, although some varieties can be red violet, powder blue, pink, or creamy white. 

– Characteristics

The anise hyssop blooms from summer to fall and attracts pollinators, so it will work for your butterfly or cottage garden. In addition, it’s widely used in the kitchen and as a medicinal flower. 

– Specific Needs

Anise hyssop thrives in USDA zones 3 to 8, with full sun access. It prefers well-draining, fertile soil and needs to be fertilized in early spring. The plant requires regular watering only when it’s planted, and then it becomes drought-tolerant. 

– Issues

You must keep in mind that root rot can occur in poorly draining soil, and this would be harmful to the plant in the long run. 

Conclusion

Growing purple flowers that look like lavender can add elegance and balance to your garden and will work for you if the conditions in your outdoor space don’t suit lavenders.

Luckily, there are plenty of beautiful purple, violet, and lilac blooms to choose from. 

• Some purple flowers are toxic, so you should be careful about where you’re growing them. 
• Make sure that you group plants with similar growing requirements together, as they’ll become easier to take care of, and keep the pests away. 
• Although purple flowers look amazing, some can become invasive and take over your garden, so pay attention. 

And so, what is your favorite purple, lavender resembling flower of all the varieties we suggested?

References

• https://www.1800flowers.com/blog/flower-facts/flower-color-meanings/
• https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
• https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/blogs/the-fairest-flowers-o-the-season-are-the-carnations-illustrations-of-carnations-in-rare-and-early-printed-books/
• https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/creating-pollinator-habitat-5-616/
• https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants