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15 Types Of Trees with Purple Flowers

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Trees are generally long-term investments, requiring considerable forethought as they’ll be around for many years, creating their own ecosystem, adding shade, creating a windbreak, or simply adding beauty and stature.

Purple was a costly hue in antiquity, with a pound of Tyrian purple dye said to cost anything up to $7,000 in today’s value. Purple flowering trees can be an exquisite addition to any garden, evoking a sense of tranquility and beauty in addition to their practical use.

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Because every desire has a fulfillment burden, especially for long-term decisions, making an informed decision is prudent.

To help you make a choice that suits your needs, I’m sharing 15 different purple flower trees, with the pros and cons of each one.

I hope that helps you choose well. Please note they’re listed alphabetically – not by my preference,

trees with purple flowers

1. Chastetree (Vitex Agnus-Castus)

Chastetree
Chastetree

Chastetree is notable for its spectacular summer display of fragrant, upward-pointing, terminal panicles of lavender blossoms that are highly alluring to butterflies and bees. It can be cultivated as a large, deciduous, multistemmed shrub or a compact, 10 to 15 feet tall tree.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:7b – 11
Flower Color:Lavender
Flower Characteristic:Very showy
Flowering Time:Late winter to early summer
Light Requirement:Full sun, partial sun, or partial shade
Soil:Sand; loam; clay; acidic; alkaline; well-drained
Height:10 to 15 feet
Spread:15 to 20 feet
Pruning:Needed for a strong structure
Invasive Assessment:An invasive, non-native tree
Uses:Specimen; container or planter; trained as a standard; deck or patio
Chastetree Details

2. Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)

Crepe Myrtle
Crepe Myrtle

The individual blooms have a crepe-paper-like texture, with ruffles and crinkles. Most tree shapes are vase-shaped, upright-spreading, or upright-spreading while ascending.

Although several miniature varieties are available, most tree types reach 20 to 25 feet. The tall-growing varieties are excellent for planting as street trees because of their erect, vase-shaped crowns.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:7 – 9a
Flower Color:Lavender; pink; purple; red; white
Flower Characteristic:Very showy
Flowering Time:Spring and Summer
Light Requirement:Full sun
Soil:Sand; loam; clay; slightly alkaline; acidic; well-drained
Height:10 to 30 feet
Spread:15 to 25 feet
Pruning:Needed for a strong structure
Invasive Assessment:Potentially
Uses:Near a deck or patio; trainable as a standard; shade tree
Crepe Myrtle Details

3. Desert Willow (Chilopsis Linearis)

Desert Willow
Desert Willow

The smooth, willow-like leaves and lovely blossoms of this native North American tree are well recognized in hot, arid locations where they provide a pleasant reprieve. Desert willow has rather loose, open branches and grows to a maximum height and width of 30 feet. Despite being deciduous, the long, narrow leaves are 5 to 12 inches long and do not significantly change color in the fall.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:7b – 11
Flower Color:Lavender and white, cream, gray, or pink.
Flower Characteristic:Showy
Light Requirement:Full sun
Soil:Clay; sand; loam; alkaline; acidic; well-drained
Height:20 to 30 feet
Spread:15 to 25 feet
Pruning:Needed for a strong structure
Invasive Assessment:Weedy native
Uses:Container or planter to cover a deck or patio
Desert Willow Details

4. Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Eastern Redbud
Eastern Redbud

Eastern Redbud, the official tree of Oklahoma, grows moderately too quickly when young, reaching heights of 20 to 30 feet. Rare thirty-year-old examples can grow to 35 feet and resemble a spherical vase.

This is an excellent, appealing tree for understory or specimen planting due to its yellow (but rather varied and unreliable) fall color and tolerance to partial shade.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:4b – 9a
Flower Color:Light pink to dark magenta
Flower Characteristic:Very showy
Flowering Time:Early spring, before new growth
Light Requirement:Full sun, partial sun, or partial shade
Soil:clay; sand; loam; alkaline; acidic; occasionally wet; well-drained
Height:20 to 30 feet
Spread:15 to 25 feet
Pruning:Needed for a strong structure
Invasive Assessment:Potentially
Uses:Near a deck or patio as a shade tree
Eastern Redbud Details

5. Fragrant Lilac Tree (Syringa vulgaris)

Fragrant Lilac Tree
Fragrant Lilac Tree

The common lilac is one of the most popular and frequently spotted flowering shrubs in the Midwest. Older stems are gray, whereas younger stems are brownish-gray with elevated lenticels.

May sees the blooming of the well-known and highly scented purple blooms. The enormous conical to narrow-pyramidal panicles, which are 6 to 8 inches long, bear tubular blooms with four lobes.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:3 – 7
Cultivar Recommendation:Syringa vulgaris ‘Ludwig Spaeth’ is a 10 to 12 feet high cultivar with an upright habit and reddish-purple flowers.
Flowering Time:Spring-flowering shrub
Light Requirement:Full sun
Soil:Moist, organic-rich, well-drained soils
Height:8 to 15 feet
Spread:6 to 12 feet
Pruning:Prune dead flowers
Invasive Assessment:Unlikely
Uses:Borders, hedges, or screens
Fragrant Lilac Tree Details

6. Jacaranda Tree (Jacaranda mimosifolia)

Jacaranda Tree
Jacaranda Tree

Jacarandas are excellent for cooling patios because of their gentle, dappled shade. Still, you should avoid planting them close to swimming pools because of the frequent leaf and flower shedding.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:9b – 11
Flower Color:Lavender to violet purple
Flower Characteristic:very showy; lightly fragrant
Flowering Time:Spring and Summer
Light Requirement:Full sun
Soil:Sand; loam; clay; slightly alkaline; acidic; well-drained
Height:25 to 40 feet
Spread:45 to 60 feet
Pruning:Needed for a strong structure
Invasive Assessment:Not considered a problem species
Uses:Tree lawn > 6 ft wide; shade; specimen
Jacaranda Tree Details

7. Korean Lilac Tree (Syringa pubescens)

Korean Lilac Tree
Korean Lilac Tree

The spreading lilac Syringa meyeri has reddish-purple buds opening to delicate, fragrant lilac flowers. It is broader than tall, begins to bloom early, and blooms lavishly in the middle of the season, usually around mid-May. It can be used to create a low hedge by planting it in clusters or as a shrub border.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:3b – 7a
Flower Color:Fragrant violet-purple flowers are densely packed on a 4″ panicle. Blooms in May.
Flower Characteristic:Showy
Flowering Time:Spring
Light Requirement:Full sun to partial shade
Soil:Moist, well-drained, and slightly alkaline
Height:4 to 8 feet
Spread:6 to 10 feet
Uses:Patio, walkways, hedges
Korean Lilac Tree Details

8. Orchid Tree (Bauhinia Variegata)

Orchid Tree
Orchid Tree

Orchid trees need full sun and well-drained soil to develop, trees are exceptionally resistant to drought, and dry soils are ideal for flowering. Young orchid trees may require occasional trimming to help them maintain a consistent shape.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:4b – 9a
Flower Color:Purplish to white
Flower Characteristic:Very showy, fragrant, and orchid-like
Flowering Time:Late winter to early summer
Light Requirement:Full sun to partial shade
Soil:Clay; sand; loam; acidic; slightly alkaline; well-drained
Height:20 to 40 feet
Spread:25 to 35 feet
Pruning:Needed for a strong structure
Invasive Assessment:In the South, it’s not recommended; it may be recommended in Central US but must be managed to prevent escape; in the North, there are no restrictions (yet)
Uses:Tree lawn 4–6 feet wide
Orchid Tree Details

9. Persian Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin)

Persian Silk Tree
Persian Silk Tree

It is an Asian native brought to the United States in 1745, also known as the mimosa. Its fragrant and eye-catching blossoms led to its cultivation as an ornamental tree.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:6b – 9a
Flower Color:Pink
Flower Characteristic:Showy, fragrant, and long-blooming (May – Jul)
Flowering Time:Spring and summer
Light Requirement:Full sun to partial shade
Soil:Well-drained loam
Height:20 to 40 feet
Spread:20 to 50 feet
Maintenance:High
Invasive Assessment:In some states
Uses:Tree lawn 4–6 feet wide
Persian Silk Tree Details

10 Princess tree (Paulownia tomentosa)

Princess tree
Princess tree

Flowers are produced before the development of leaves, making them stand out beautifully, especially against an evergreen backdrop.

Princess-Tree can grow quickly and, in an open setting, with an equal spread, grow to a height of 50 feet. The majority of trees are 30–40 feet tall and wide.

It has naturalized in many areas of the South and does best in deep, damp, but well-drained soil.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:5b – 9b
Flower Color:Lavender
Flower Characteristic:Very showy
Light Requirement:Full sun to partial shade
Soil:Sand; loam; clay; acidic; slightly alkaline; occasionally wet; well-drained
Height:40 to 50 feet
Spread:40 to 50 feet
Pruning:Needed for a strong structure
Invasive Assessment:Invasive non-native
Uses:Urban tolerant
Princess Tree Details

11. Purple Leaf Plum (Prunus cerasifera)

Purple Leaf Plum
Purple Leaf Plum

A short-lived ornamental tree planted for its lovely purple foliage is the purple leaf plum. It is a shrubby, twiggy tree with spreading branches that can be trained like vases and dense foliage.

The crown is spherical. Although it can tolerate various soil types, it requires full light. Use as a screen or hedge, plant as a specimen, in a border, or in small groups.

This little flowering tree is an excellent addition to a Japanese garden or a cottage garden.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:5b – 8a
Flower Color:Pink – leaves purple
Light Requirement:Full sun (>6 hours a day)
Soil:Not very fussy but needs good drainage
Height:15 to 25 feet
Spread:15 to 20 feet
Pruning:Needed for a strong structure
Invasive Assessment:Invasive non-native
Uses:For smaller spaces
Purple Leaf Plum Details

12. Purple Robe Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Purple Robe Locust
Purple Robe Locust

This black locust cultivar likely reaches a height of 40 feet and a spread of 20 to 35 feet. A lawn can grow beneath the tree due to its upright, rounded growth and short, erratic limbs, which create a tighter canopy than the species and cast light shade.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:4a – 8b
Flower Color:Lavender
Flower Characteristic:Very showy
Light Requirement:Full sun (>6 hours a day) to partial shade
Soil:Not very fussy but needs good drainage
Height:30 to 50 feet
Spread:20 to 35 feet
Invasive Assessment:Native
Uses:Shade Tree
Purple Robe Locust Details

13. Royal Purple Smoke Tree (Cotinus coggygria)

Royal Purple Smoke Tree
Royal Purple Smoke Tree

The prize-winning “Royal Purple” smoke tree is a substantial shrub or small tree with stunning purple foliage and a compact growth habit.

The colors and texture create the appearance of smoke.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:4a – 8b
Flower Color:Purple/Lavender
Flower Characteristic:Showy, long-blooming
Light Requirement:Full sun (>6 hours a day)
Soil:Well-draining loam
Height:10 to 15 feet
Spread:15 to 20 feet
Uses:Lawn, patio, hedge
Royal Purple Smoke Tree Details

14. Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia × soulangiana)

Saucer Magnolia
Saucer Magnolia

A deciduous tree cultivated from a hybrid cross between M. denudata and M. liliflora. It is upright, pyramidal to rounded, and can reach 35 feet.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:4a – 9a
Flower Color:Purple/Lavender
Flower Characteristic:Showy and fragrant
Light Requirement:Full sun (>6 hours a day) to partial shade (2 to 6 hours)
Soil:Drains well, organic, loam
Height:15 to 35 feet
Spread:15 to 25 feet
Uses:Lawn, patio, recreational shade.
Saucer Magnolia Details

15 Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora Secundiflora)

Texas Mountain Laurel
Texas Mountain Laurel

A small native evergreen to North America, the Texas mountain laurel grows 15 to 25 feet tall with a spread of 10 feet but can grow as tall as 50 feet in its natural environment.

Its thin, upright profile and dense foliage can be pruned into a tree shape.

FactorDetails
Hardiness Zone:7b – 10a
Flower Color:Purple
Flower Characteristic:Very showy
Flowering Time:Late spring to early summer
Light Requirement:Full sun, partial sun, or partial shade
Soil:Clay; sand; loam; alkaline; well-drained
Height:15 to 20 feet
Spread:10 to 12 feet
Pruning:Not much required
Invasive Assessment:Low invasive potential
Uses:Container or planter; hedge; deck or patio; screen; reclamation.
Texas Mountain Laurel Details

In Closing

There are hundreds of tree choices for landscaping your yard. When it comes to trees with purple flowers, there are only so many – I’ve shared 15.

Purple is an excellent choice to create a space of tranquility and beauty. Now it’s up to you to choose the right purple flowering tree for your purposes.

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