21 Beautiful Purple Flowering Trees For Your Landscape

Introduction to Purple Flowering Trees

Adding trees with beautiful purple flowers can transform any home garden or landscape with a stunning pop of color. While purple isn’t the most common color in nature, there are several magnificent options available when you’re ready to think beyond traditional flowering trees. When selecting trees for your yard, most gardeners consider factors like size, height, and hardiness zone compatibility, but the color of flowers can create a dramatic visual impact that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Purple flowering trees offer a unique aesthetic that can complement various garden styles while creating focal points in your landscape. From deep violet to soft lavender hues, these trees provide seasonal interest and attract beneficial pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. Whether you have a small urban yard or a sprawling rural property, there’s likely a purple-flowered tree that will suit your space and growing conditions.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore 21 stunning trees with purple flowers that can enhance your landscape. We’ll cover their growing requirements, mature sizes, blooming periods, and special features to help you select the perfect purple-flowering specimen for your garden.

Chaste Tree

The Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is a stunning multi-stemmed tree that produces lavender-purple flower spikes during summer and early fall. Growing to a modest height of 15-25 feet with a similar spread, this Mediterranean native is perfect for smaller landscapes or as a focal point in gardens. Its aromatic foliage resembles marijuana leaves, adding interesting texture when the tree isn’t in bloom.

Hardy in USDA zones 7-9, the Chaste Tree thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It demonstrates excellent drought tolerance once established, making it a low-maintenance option for busy gardeners. The fragrant purple blooms attract butterflies and bees, enhancing your garden’s biodiversity. For optimal flowering, plant your Chaste Tree in a location with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Pruning can be done in late winter to maintain shape and encourage more abundant blooming. The Chaste Tree’s versatility allows it to be grown as either a large shrub or small tree, depending on your landscape needs and pruning practices.

Crape Myrtle

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) varieties with purple flowers bring long-lasting summer color to gardens in USDA zones 7-10. These versatile trees range from dwarf varieties reaching just 3-5 feet to larger specimens growing up to 25 feet tall. Their distinctive crinkled flowers appear in clusters from summer through fall, creating a spectacular display against the tree’s smooth, exfoliating bark.

Popular purple-flowering varieties include ‘Catawba,’ featuring deep purple blooms, ‘Twilight,’ with its rich violet flowers, and ‘Zuni,’ which produces lavender-purple clusters. Crape Myrtles require full sun exposure to bloom profusely and prefer well-drained soil. They’re remarkably heat and drought-tolerant once established, making them excellent choices for southern landscapes.

The ornamental value of Crape Myrtles extends beyond their flowering period, as many varieties display striking fall foliage in shades of orange, red, and yellow. Their interesting winter bark provides year-round appeal, with the smooth, peeling texture adding visual interest to dormant season gardens.

Desert Willow

The Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) is a drought-resistant tree native to the southwestern United States that produces orchid-like purple flowers throughout summer. Despite its name, it’s not a true willow but belongs to the Bignoniaceae family. Growing 15-25 feet tall and wide, this tree features slender, willow-like leaves and an open, airy canopy perfect for creating dappled shade.

Thriving in USDA zones 7-11, Desert Willows require minimal water once established, making them ideal choices for xeriscaping and low-water landscapes. The tubular purple flowers, which can range from pale lavender to deep violet depending on the variety, are highly attractive to hummingbirds and native pollinators.

Plant Desert Willows in full sun and well-drained soil for best results. While they tolerate poor soils, they cannot withstand wet conditions, so good drainage is essential. Notable purple-flowering cultivars include ‘Bubba,’ with its large, dark purple blooms, and ‘Dark Storm,’ featuring rich violet-purple flowers with yellow throats.

Hibiscus Tree

The Hibiscus Tree (Hibiscus syriacus), also known as Rose of Sharon, can be trained into a small tree form showcasing purple, lavender, or violet blooms from midsummer through fall. These prolific flowering trees grow 8-12 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide, making them suitable for smaller gardens and urban landscapes in USDA zones 5-8.

Purple-flowering varieties include ‘Ardens’ with double lavender-purple flowers, ‘Blue Bird’ featuring single violet-blue blooms with red centers, and ‘Lavender Chiffon’ displaying semi-double lavender flowers with lacy centers. Hibiscus trees prefer full sun to partial shade and adaptable to various soil types as long as drainage is adequate.

One of the valuable characteristics of Hibiscus trees is their late-season blooming period when many other flowering trees have finished their display. The trumpet-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, adding wildlife interest to your garden. For the best flowering performance, apply a balanced fertilizer in spring and keep the soil consistently moist during the growing season.

Purple Wisteria Tree

The Purple Wisteria Tree (Wisteria sinensis) is among the most recognizable purple-flowered trees, creating a spectacular display with its cascading clusters of bluish-purple blooms in late spring and early summer. While naturally a climbing vine, wisteria can be trained into a tree form reaching 15-20 feet tall when properly maintained.

Growing best in USDA zones 5-9, wisteria trees are remarkably adaptable once established. They demonstrate excellent drought tolerance and resistance to deer and most diseases. The fragrant pendulous flower clusters, which can reach up to 12 inches long, hang dramatically from the branches, creating a fairytale-like atmosphere in the garden.

When growing wisteria as a tree, regular pruning is essential to maintain its shape and control its vigorous growth habit. Plant in full sun for the most abundant flowering, though wisteria can tolerate partial shade at the expense of some blooms. The Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) offers an alternative with longer flower clusters and a counterclockwise twining habit compared to the Chinese species.

Jacaranda

The Jacaranda tree (Jacaranda mimosifolia) is renowned for its spectacular display of lavender-blue flowers that can cover the entire canopy in spring. Native to South America, these magnificent trees grow 25-50 feet tall with an equal spread, creating a broad canopy of delicate, fern-like foliage that provides dappled shade.

Thriving in USDA zones 9-11, Jacarandas require full sun and well-drained soil to reach their full potential. In optimal conditions, they produce a breathtaking purple bloom display that can last for several weeks. The trumpet-shaped flowers eventually drop, creating a purple carpet beneath the tree that extends the visual impact.

Jacarandas benefit from application of a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer once yearly in early spring. Too much nitrogen can reduce flowering, so it’s important not to over-fertilize. These trees are relatively fast-growing and can become drought-tolerant once established, though they appreciate consistent moisture during their first few growing seasons.

Eastern Redbud

The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) produces abundant pinkish-purple flowers that emerge directly from the branches in early spring before the heart-shaped leaves appear. Growing 20-30 feet tall and wide, these native North American trees create a stunning display when covered in their distinctive blooms.

Hardy in USDA zones 4-9, Eastern Redbuds are adaptable to various conditions, from full sun to partial shade. They prefer moist, well-drained soil but demonstrate good drought tolerance once established. The rosy-purple flowers emerge along the bare branches in early spring, creating a dramatic silhouette against the sky.

Several cultivars offer enhanced purple coloration, including ‘Forest Pansy’ with its deep purple new foliage and magenta flowers, and ‘Merlot’ featuring wine-colored leaves and pinkish-purple blooms. Eastern Redbuds are relatively low-maintenance trees that add multi-season interest to landscapes with their spring flowers, summer foliage, and distinctive seed pods that persist into winter.

Purple Robe Locust

The Purple Robe Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Purple Robe’) is a stunning variety of black locust that produces cascading clusters of fragrant, wisteria-like purple flowers in late spring. Growing rapidly to 40-50 feet tall with a 30-foot spread, this tree creates an impressive vertical accent in larger landscapes.

Hardy in USDA zones 4-8, Purple Robe Locust thrives in full sun and adapts to various soil conditions, including poor and dry sites. Its purple-tinged new foliage emerges in spring, maturing to bluish-green in summer. The fragrant purple flower racemes, reaching up to 8 inches long, attract bees and other pollinators.

This tree offers several practical benefits beyond ornamental value, including fast growth, drought tolerance, and the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. However, be aware that it can produce suckers from the roots that require management to prevent unwanted spread. The wood is exceptionally hard and rot-resistant, making Purple Robe Locust a durable addition to the landscape.

Purple-Leaf Plum

The Purple-Leaf Plum (Prunus cerasifera) combines ornamental purple foliage with delicate pink to purplish flowers that bloom in early spring. Growing 15-25 feet tall and wide, these compact trees are perfect for smaller landscapes and urban gardens in USDA zones 5-8.

Popular cultivars include ‘Thundercloud’ with its dark purple leaves and light pink flowers, and ‘Krauter Vesuvius’ featuring deep purple foliage and pale pink blooms. These trees create visual impact throughout the growing season, starting with their early spring flowers followed by rich purple leaves that provide months of color.

Purple-Leaf Plums perform best in full sun, which intensifies their foliage color, and well-drained soil. They’re relatively low-maintenance but may require occasional pruning to maintain shape and remove damaged branches. Some varieties produce small purple fruits that attract birds, adding wildlife value to their ornamental qualities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular purple flowering tree?

The Jacaranda tree is arguably the most popular and recognizable purple flowering tree, creating spectacular displays of lavender-blue flowers in spring. Wisteria is another highly sought-after option, with its dramatic cascading clusters of fragrant purple blooms.

Which purple flowering trees are best for small gardens?

For small gardens, consider the Chaste Tree, dwarf varieties of Crape Myrtle, the Hibiscus Tree (Rose of Sharon), or the Purple-Leaf Plum. These options typically stay under 25 feet tall and can be maintained at smaller sizes with proper pruning.

When do most purple flowering trees bloom?

Bloom times vary by species. Eastern Redbud and Purple-Leaf Plum flower in early spring, Wisteria and Jacaranda bloom in mid to late spring, while Crape Myrtle, Desert Willow, and Chaste Tree produce their purple flowers in summer through early fall.

Are purple flowering trees difficult to maintain?

Most purple flowering trees are relatively low-maintenance once established. Trees like the Chaste Tree, Desert Willow, and Crape Myrtle are particularly drought-tolerant and adaptable. Wisteria requires regular pruning to maintain its tree form, while Jacaranda needs protection from frost in marginal growing zones.

Which purple flowering trees attract pollinators?

Nearly all purple flowering trees attract pollinators. Desert Willow and Hibiscus trees are excellent for attracting hummingbirds, while Chaste Tree, Crape Myrtle, and Wisteria are particularly attractive to butterflies and bees. Planting these trees can significantly enhance the biodiversity of your garden.

Conclusion

Purple flowering trees offer a unique and sophisticated aesthetic that can elevate any landscape design. From the spectacular jacaranda to the drought-tolerant chaste tree, there’s a purple-flowered option suitable for virtually any garden style and climate zone.

When selecting purple flowering trees for your landscape, consider not only their visual appeal but also their growing requirements, mature size, and seasonal interest. Many of these trees provide multiple seasons of ornamental value beyond their flowering period, with interesting bark, foliage, or fall color.

By incorporating these stunning purple-flowered specimens into your garden, you’ll create memorable focal points and conversation pieces that enhance your outdoor living space. Whether you’re looking to add a single specimen tree or create a themed purple garden, these 21 options provide ample inspiration for bringing this royal color into your landscape.

Author

Anjali Sayee

 

Anjali is an Associate Editor at StyleCraze with 7 years of experience specializing in hairstyles, hair care, and skin care. She has authored over 300 articles and offers expert advice on hair styling techniques, effective skin care routines, and tips for maintaining healthy hair and skin.

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