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          15 Purple Hydrangea Varieties For Majestic Garden Appeal

          Thinking of adding some purple hydrangeas to your garden, but aren't sure what to plant? There are many different options, so picking the perfect plant can be a bit confusing! In this article, gardening expert and hydrangea enthusiast Jill Drago lists out her favorite purple hydrangea varieties you can grow!

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          Written by Last updated: October 3, 2023 | 8 min read

          An image of a purple hydrangea in full bloom. It's a close up of a single hydrangea bloom, with many different petals. The petals are all purple on the outside, and transition to a deeper blue on the inside. Some of the flower petals have a hint of magenta.

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          Purple is undoubtedly one of the most popular flower colors you will see in home gardens. There are many shades of this calming color, from pale lavender to a deep purple that is almost black. Purple flowers go well with just about any color combination from pinks to oranges or whites.

          Hydrangeas bloom come in a wide range of colors, most famous for their blue varieties or white hydrangeas with fluffy cloud-like flowers. But like many other flowering shrubs, they also come in many different shades of purple. They will range in color from very pale to very deep plum shades.

          If you would love to add some calming purple into your gardens, read on for a list of our favorite purple hydrangeas. Keep in mind, that some of these species can change color depending on the balance of your soil, so if you end up wanting to change their color down the road, that’s always an option!

          Hydrangea Macrophylla

          Also known as bigleaf hydrangeas, macrophylla are one of the species that new gardeners think of planting when they start out. This type of hydrangea can have bloom colors that are impacted by the acidity of the soil.

          This means you can start out purple and transform your hydrangea blooms to pink or blue depending on the makeup of the soil where you plant them. Let’s take a look at our favorite bigleaf hydrangeas with beautiful purple blooms!

          ‘Blue Cassel’

          An image of H. macrophylla ‘Blue Cassel’ blooming in the garden. It's a close up of the flowers on the shrub. You can see the flatter lavender flowers blooming around the smaller deep purple clusters of the plant at the base of where it blooms.
          This variety produces purple-blue flowers shaped like a lacy cap.
          • Bloom Time: Summer
          • Plant Size: 4-5 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Border garden, Containers, Cutting Garden

          ‘Blue Cassel’ has very pretty violet blue lacecap flowers. These flowers will rebloom, blooming on both old wood as well as the new wood. 

          Plant these shrubs as an understory plant, or as a beautiful hedge or border anywhere in your garden that receives partial shade. This variety will have blush tones if the soil is too alkaline. The leaves on ‘blue cassel’ do not offer much in terms of fall color, but remain a steady, vibrant green all season long.

          ‘Cityline Mars’

          A close up image of H. macrophylla ‘Cityline Mars’ and its purple blooms. All that is visible in this image is the purple blooms. They are a lighter purple on some petals, and darker on others. All of the petals have a white edging to them around each individual petal.
          ‘Cityline Mars’ is a compact variety that produces gorgeous purple flowers with a white border.
          • Bloom Time: Early Summer- Fall
          • Plant Size: 3 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Containers, Perennial Gardens

          This is a nice compact hydrangea that can be used easily in containers or in your perennial gardens to add a big splash of color. These flowers will be purple with a white margin, making them a gorgeous option for a shaded area.

          You may even notice multi colored florets on each shrub depending on the pH of your soil. The compact nature of ‘cityline mars’ makes it easy to add into many parts of your garden including containers, foundation gardens or throughout your perennial gardens.

          ‘Deep Purple’

          A close up of H. macrophylla ‘Deep Purple’ blooming in the garden. The focus is an up close shot of the petals on the flower. They are a much deeper purple color, with serrations of blue on each petal more towards the center of the bloom.
          This variety has deep purple flowers that have a blue tint on the petals.
          • Bloom Time: Summer
          • Plant Size: 3-4 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Container, Cutting Garden

          This is one beautiful purple blooming shrub! ‘Deep purple’ is an early summer bloomer that will be covered in long lasting deep purple mophead flowers. The flowers will bloom light green. As the blossoms open even further they will turn a rich violet color.

          ‘Deep Purple’ Hydrangeas make excellent cut flowers for your arrangements, but would be gorgeous lining the front of your home.

          ‘Double Delights Expression’

          An image of H. macrophylla ‘Double Delights Expression’ up close. There are two massive clusters of blooms, some are purple, some are blue, and some are almost pink. There are bits of yellow to each of the flowers for the younger blossoms. You can see a bit of green foliage, but the primary focus is the big clusters of flowers on these shrubs.
          This variety blooms with large double flowers of soft lilac color.
          • Bloom Time: Spring- Fall
          • Plant Size: 3-4 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Border Garden, Container, Cutting Garden

          This variety is a pure purple beauty. ‘Double delights expression’ sports beautiful large double flowers, in a lovely lilac color. Depending on the part of the season you may notice hints of lime green or blush pink flowers tucked in throughout the large blooms.

          Plant this beauty in a container, or front in center of your foundation gardens because this hydrangea is one you won’t want tucked away. It is that beautiful.

          ‘Endless Summer Bloomstruck’

          A closeup picture of H. macrophylla ‘Endless Summer Bloomstruck’ where the blooms are the focal point of the image. They are a lavender color, with some pink tinged in the petals. There are also some yellow in the middle of each bloom, especially for younger blooms on this small cluster of flowers.
          This magnificent ‘Endless Summer Bloomstruck’ hydrangea blooms all summer with delightful purple flowers.
          • Bloom Time: Summer
          • Plant Size: 3-4 feet
          • Plant Zones: 4-9
          • Plant Uses: Containers, Perennial Gardens

          Bloomstruck has it all going on. Its flowers are a lovely purple, but that is just the beginning. The stems and veins of this plant are a purple red which add so much contrast to your perennial gardens.

          This endless summer hydrangea reblooms all summer long, just like the rest of the collection, filling your garden with color all summer long and making pruning a breeze. It is disease resistant, and has a higher heat tolerance than others making this a great choice for those warmer climates.

          ‘Endless Summer Twist n Shout’

          A closeup of H. macrophylla ‘Endless Summer Twist n Shout’ which has an off pink flower, with purple accents. It is a lacecap flower which means there are some flat petals, and some smaller clusters that look like parts of lace blooming next to them.
          ‘Endless Summer Twist n Shout’ produces lacecap flowers with tiny pink flowers.
          • Bloom Time: Summer
          • Plant Size: 3-5 feet
          • Plant Zones: 4-9
          • Plant Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Foundation plantings, Perennial Gardens

          This variety has all of the things we know and love about the endless summer collection, but in a lacecap flower. Lacecap flowers are tiny fertile flowers surrounded by showy sterile flowers, creating a lacey appearance to the bloom. Plant ‘Twist n Shout’ in a mass planting or scattered throughout your gardens.

          No matter how you choose to plant this hydrangea, you will not be disappointed. Twist n Shout leans more towards a pink color, so be prepared to amend your soil if your soil is a bit sweeter than this hydrangea would prefer.

          ‘Everlasting Revolution’

          A closeup of the bloom of H. macrophylla ‘Everlasting Revolution’ which is pink and purple. You can see some of the green foliage behind the flowers. There is some yellow in the center of some of the newer blooms. The pink is a soft pink, and there are some slightly light blue blooms that fade to a faint lavender purple color.
          This variety blooms with stunning flowers ranging in many shades of colors varying from pink to lavender.
          • Bloom Time: Summer
          • Plant Size: 2-3 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Foundation gardens

          The ‘everlasting revolution’ hydrangea is filled with very long lasting mophead flowers, situated on sturdy stems creating a beautiful plant. The colors within the flowers are stunning as well, giving the shrub an almost multi-colored look.

          It is common to find many shades of colors varying from pink to maroon but usually landing more in the purple range. This is a smaller variety and would function well in a border where you and the people who visit your home are able to take in the true beauty of these flowers.

          ‘Let’s Dance Moonlight’

          An up close image of H. macrophylla ‘Let’s Dance Moonlight’ with four visible flower clusters. The Blooms are blue in the middle of each small flower and fade to a violet color on the outer edges, giving the entire flower cluster a purple look to it.
          ‘Let’s Dance Moonlight’ produces bright purple inflorescences that bloom all summer.
          • Bloom Time: Summer
          • Plant Size: 2-3 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Border gardens, containers, Mass planting

          Vibrantly purple mophead flowers cover this shrub all summer long. As an added bonus, ‘Let’s dance moonlight’ has stunning fall foliage in shades of red or bronze. The purple on this hydrangea is blue in highly acidic soils, and will vary between lilac and pink in less acidic soils.

          ‘Let’s dance moonlight’ is another reblooming variety, making it a great choice for your gardens as you will have flowers all summer long without any effort on your part.

          ‘Mariesii’

          A closeup of the lacecap H. macrophylla 'Mariesii’ blooming in the garden. There is some green foliage in the background of the shrub, but clearly visible are the light pink to purple flowers of the shrub. You can see some small flat flowerheads with the lacecap clusters next to them that are more of a pink color.
          It blooms with lacy flowers that range in color from blue to purple to pink.
          • Bloom Time: Late spring- Summer
          • Plant Size: 4-6 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Foundation Planting

          This plant is a 10 out of 10 in my book. ‘Mariesii’ has lacecap flowers that vary from blue to purple to pink depending on soil acidity. The flowers are gorgeous, but the real icing on the cake are the leaves.

          They are a vibrant green with a creamy white edging and variegation. I really love to see ‘Mariesii’ planted in a mass, but it is equally as lovely and special when it is used as a specimen.

          ‘Penny Mac’

          An up close image of H. macrophylla ‘Penny Mac’ which is a popular plant. It's a close up of one cluster of flowers, which each petal is lavender on the outside, fading to blue on the inside.
          ‘Penny Mac’ is a repeat blooming variety that produces large purple flowers.
          • Bloom Time: Summer through fall
          • Plant Size: 4-6 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Foundation gardens

          This hydrangea is quite possibly the easiest to take care of. The repeat bloomer, ‘Penny Mac’. is a rapid growing shrub that will quickly reach 6 feet.  ‘Penny Mac’ is covered with large mophead flowers that will range from white, to blue, to  pink to purple.

          No pruning is necessary on this pretty plant, but due to its larger size make sure you have enough room for the full grown size. ‘Penny mac’ is very sensitive to soil pH, so do your homework and get a pH test and amend as you wish!

          ‘Rock ‘n Roll’

          A blooming H. macrophylla ‘Rock ‘n Roll’ that shows many clusters of flowers blooming all at once. There is some green foliage you can see behind the blooms. There are at least fifteen blooms in the picture, ranging in color from light blue with yellow centers, to pink, to light lavender in color.
          ‘Rock ‘n Roll’ is a repeat blooming variety with gorgeous blue or purple flowers.
          • Bloom Time: Summer
          • Plant Size: 4-5 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses:  Border gardens, Foundation gardens

          The bright purple flowers on ‘Rock ‘n roll’ will begin their blooming season as tight white buds, which will open to blue or purple flowers. These flowers will be growing on top of lush green leaves.

          The stems on ‘rock n roll’ are nice and sturdy and will hold these large mophead flowers up even through the heaviest rains. ‘Rock n roll’ is reblooming and will keep blooming well into the fall.

          ‘Seaside Serenade Crystal Cove’

          A closeup of H. macrophylla ‘Seaside Serenade Crystal Cove’ which blooms with lacecap flowers that are white in the smaller parts of the bloom, and a magenta to lavender petal color, fading to white at the interior of each flower petal.
          This uniquely beautiful shrub has white lacy flowers with deep purple edges.
          • Bloom Time: Summer through fall
          • Plant Size: 3-4 feet
          • Plant Zones: 4-9
          • Plant Uses:  Containers, Cutting garden, Foundation garden

          The Seaside Serenade collection of hydrangeas is full of uniquely beautiful shrubs. ‘Crystal cove’ is no exception. ‘Seaside Serenade Crystal Cove’ has lacecap flowers with frilly edges.

          The flower petals are deep purple on the edges and slowly fade to white as you reach the center of the flower. ‘Crystal cove’ is reblooming, and will fill your gardens with beautiful flowers all season long up until your first frost.

          ‘Star Gazer’

          A closeup of the lacecap H. macrophylla ‘Star Gazer’ which showcases the blooms of one flower cluster. There are seven flowers coming from one cluster, and underneath the flowers you can see lace clusters that are a deep blue color. The petals of the flowers are white on the outside edge, and fade to a soft lavender color on the actual petals.
          This incredible lacecap produces star-shaped purple double flowers with a white border.
          • Bloom Time: Summer through fall
          • Plant Size: 3-4 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Border gardens, containers, Perennial gardens

          ‘Star gazer’ is a very pretty lacecap hydrangea. The flowers themselves are star shaped double flowers, and the purple petals have a white border. The fertile flowers in the center will reflect the purple of the flower petals.

          This is a nice compact variety that makes a large impact no matter where you plant it in your gardens. ‘Star gazer’ is a reblooming variety and should be pruned promptly after blooming ends in the fall if needed.

          ‘Wee Bit Grumpy’

          A closeup of H. macrophylla ‘Wee Bit Grumpy’ which focuses on one cluster of flowers. The Flowers are a radiant deep blue in the center, and fade to a dark purple on the larger part of each petal.
          This variety has vivid purple flowers that will be a great addition to your garden.
          • Bloom Time: Summer
          • Plant Size: 2 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Border garden, Cutting garden, Perennial gardens

          ‘Wee bit grumpy’ might have the most vibrant purple petals on this list. This hydrangea was specifically hybridized to have petals that are truly saturated with color. The shrub itself is a nice mounded plant, and would fit nicely into most areas of your landscape.

          I think it would be especially nice throughout your perennial beds, adding rich color but also great foliage in the springtime while you are waiting for the purple blossoms to arrive.

          Hydrangea Serrata

          Also known as mountain hydrangea, the serrata is native to Asia. They have lacecap flowers that are more delicate than other species. They typically start blooming in early summer into early fall. Let’s look at our favorite serrata with purple blooms!

          ‘Tiny Tuff Stuff’

          A closeup image of H. serrata ‘Tiny Tuff Stuff’ which has lacecap flowers that are flat. They are lavender, pink, and light blue in color. Underneath is a small cluster of lacecaps, that are blue and yellow as they continue to bloom.
          This variety of hydrangea is pH sensitive and can change color from pink to blue.
          • Bloom Time: Summer
          • Plant Size: 2 feet
          • Plant Zones: 5-9
          • Plant Uses: Border garden, containers, Perennial gardens

          ‘Tiny tuff stuff’ is a great compact hydrangea with pretty lacecap flowers. Unlike the bigleaf hydrangeas, the mountain hydrangeas have narrow leaves which truly allow the flowers to be the star of the show. ‘Tiny tuff stuff’ is a reblooming variety of hydrangea that is sensitive to the soil pH.

          The flowers will range from pink to blue, and settle on purple in the more neutral pH soils. If you are looking for a nice low maintenance hydrangea, this is a great option for you. The nice compact size will allow you to skip pruning for a few years unless you need to clean up some winter breakage.

          Final Thoughts

          With hydrangeas being so well known for their blue or white flowers, I always find purple hydrangeas to be a welcome surprise when I see them in gardens. They are just as beautiful, and will oftentimes happen naturally depending on the pH of your soil. Give these purple beauties a try, and add some depth to your colorful gardens!

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