Low-Growing Plants with Purple Flowers

Wishbone Flower

• The wishbone flower (Torenia fournieri) grows in the shade. Wishbone flower is an annual of Asian origin, growing between 6 and 12 inches tall. The plant blooms from midsummer until the fall's initial freeze, producing a violet-purple flower. Wishbone flower does best where summers are not too humid. Grow wishbone flowers indoors and then transplant them outside; start the seeds anywhere from six to eight weeks before the last spring frost.

Grape Hyacinth

• After the grape hyacinth (Muscari latifolium) finishes blooming, the plant begins to go dormant, usually by summer. Grape hyacinth, a native of Turkey that develops from a bulb, grows 12 inches tall. This species establishes itself best in well-draining areas, in either shade or sun. Grape hyacinth has an odd-looking flower that resembles a cluster of grapes, with the lower flowers a darker shade of purple than the upper ones. Grape hyacinth is a low-growing plant employable near and under shrubs and trees.

Leptodermis

• Once the leptodermis shrub (Leptodermis oblonga) begins flowering in spring, it continues producing purple blooms off and on until fall. Leptodermis, from northern sections of China, stays between 12 and 18 inches tall, making it a suitable plant for rock gardens or to use in front of larger shrubs. Leptodermis sheds its green leaves in autumn. The shrub requires soil with medium moisture levels to grow. Leptodermis creates new growth from its own roots, making it necessary to prune back the resulting shoots to avoid overcrowding.

Nepata

• Related to the plants that produce catnip, nepata (Nepata racemosa) is a low-growing species that rarely exceeds 12 inches high. A native plant in Iran and mountainous parts of central Asia, nepata has purple flowers that bloom from May through September. Nepata is a drought-tolerant perennial that expands outward as much as 18 inches. The aromatic, gray-green foliage makes this plant useful as ground cover for a small area. Other landscaping jobs nepata handles well include being part of a herb garden or rock garden.