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7 Beautiful plants with purple leaves

Plants with purple leaves



Even when plants with purple leaves aren't in bloom, they add color, texture, and variety to your garden throughout the growing season and beyond. While flowers are wonderful in their own right, they are fleeting, so it's always a good idea to add colorful foliage to bridge color gaps. These 15 plants with purple leaves range from the red end of the color spectrum to dark, almost black-purple hues. Choose several to create an echo of color throughout your garden.


1. Ajuka



Also known as morning glory (Ajuga reptans), this low-growing, slow-spreading perennial provides excellent cover anywhere in the garden, from full sun to partial shade. Varieties offer a variety of foliage colors, but one of the most purples is 'Black Scalp' (shown here). Its deep purple, almost chocolate-colored leaves contrast with its violet flowers in spring and early summer.


Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and average soil

Size: 6 inches tall and 1 foot wide


2 Alternanthera


Alternanthera comes in a variety of colors, including purple like 'Purple Prince'. It grows in sun to shade and only grows to a couple of feet tall and wide. White flowers are usually produced in spring on native plants. 'Purple Prince' also makes an excellent container plant.


Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and average soil

Size: 2 feet tall and wide


3 Begonia



There are few plants that match the colors of begonias. With their rich and vibrant reds, pinks, whites, silvers, purples, and greens, these plants offer some of the most beautiful foliage available to home gardeners. Some varieties, such as rex begonias, are very beautiful. Pictured above is 'Shadow King', a rex begonia with deep reds, purples, silvers, and greens all thrown together.


Growing Conditions: Partial shade and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 10 inches tall


4 Coleus


Coleus (Plectranthus spp.) are known for their spectacular kaleidoscope of colors ranging from reds and yellows to oranges and purples. But for many varieties, excessive flowering and stunted growth can lead to somewhat unsightly plants by mid-season. Improved new varieties like 'Colour Place Neuilly Noir ' will keep your container and bedding plants healthy and full all season long.


Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 3 feet tall


5 Coral Bells



Many species of coral bells (Heuchera spp.) offer colorful foliage and have the ability to thrive in full sun and full shade conditions. For example, the Dolce line of coral beads offers a vibrant range of colors, including purple (such as 'Dolce Blackcurrant'). And while greens look less bright in shade, new varieties like 'Northern Exposure Purple' have new genetics that helps them get lots of colors even in dappled shade and extreme climate conditions.


Growing Conditions: Full sun to full shade and moist, well-drained soil

Size: 1 foot tall


6  Elephant's Ear


Few plants bring a tropical look to the garden like elephant ear (Colocasia esculenta), also known as taro. The purple elephant ears really go above and beyond with their moody hues. Plant these beauties in containers or in the garden, then lift at the end of the season and store them in a cool, dry place for years of enjoyment until the next growing season. A popular dark purple variety is 'Black Magic' (shown here).


Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist soil with constant moisture

Size: 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide


7  Fringe Flower



Border flowers (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum) bloom profusely with very little maintenance and are rarely bothered by disease. Varieties like 'Plum Delight' form a small bush with purple foliage that attracts attention from people and pollinators.


Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade with good moisture and drainage.

Size: 5 feet tall and wide


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