Shrubs

11 Purple Azalea Varieties For Beautiful Garden Color

Are you thinking of adding some purple azaleas to your garden this season but aren't quite sure where to start? These popular shrubs come in many shades of purple, and can add plenty of color to your garden this season. In this article, gardening expert Jill Drago looks at her favorite varieties of azaleas that sport beautiful purple blooms!

By Last updated: December 1, 2022 | 6 min read

A close up of an azalea with purple flowers blooming in a sunny garden. There are about twenty lavender blooms coming from one single shrub.

Does your spring garden need a splash of purple? Perhaps the shady areas of your garden need a little color this time of the year? It is hard to find long blooming plants in the spring, especially in the shade. Azaleas are the perfect plant, and what better color to add than some purple, the color of royalty!

While you may know azaleas for their bright pink blooms or white fluffy flowers, there are many purple varieties that are equally as beautiful and possibly even more versatile in the garden.

In the list below, you’ll find some of our favorite purple flowered reblooming azaleas which bloom in the spring, and then again from summer to fall. From deep purples, to light lavenders, there’s a different purple azalea variety for every gardener!

‘Amelia Rose’

Close-up of three blooming flowers on an Amelia Rose azalea bush against a green blurred background. The flowers are large, double, look exactly like roses, are bright purple in color with slightly wavy edges on the petals. Some petals have dark purple freckles on the inside.
‘Amelia Rose’ produces gorgeous purple flowers reminiscent of roses.
  • Size: 4-5 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Mid Spring
  • Hardiness Zone: 7-9
  • Evergreen

The beautiful flowers on Amelia Rose are double, and honestly look exactly like roses. The blooms from this purple flowering shrub will stick around late into the spring, with another lighter bloom in the fall.

This is a larger azalea variety with a mounded or bushy form, and would be gorgeous planted in a swath, or on a hill, and as a backdrop to your perennial gardens. Plant ‘amelia rose’ in a foundation garden, but also add one to your cutting garden. These flowers make lovely additions to your arrangements.

‘Autumn Amethyst’

Close-up of blooming single purple-pink Autumn Amethyst azalea flowers surrounded by green, elliptical leaves. The flowers are bell-shaped, bright purple with dark purple spots on the upper petals and long stamens. Some leaves have yellow or brown spots.
This variety produces beautiful purple single flowers from spring to autumn.
  • Size: 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Spring, Summer, Fall
  • Hardiness Zone: 6-10
  • Evergreen

Autumn Amethyst is a reblooming azalea that will provide you with pretty purple flowers sporadically from spring through fall. These lavender flowers are single flowers and have dark purple spots on the upper petals.

This azalea is extra special because its emerald colored leaves turn to a purple in the winter for extra interest. Plant autumn amethyst where you can use some purple color all year long such as around a patio or in a container by your front door.

‘Autumn Lilac’

Close-up of two blooming Autumn Lilac azalea flowers covered in water drops, surrounded by bright green, elliptical, glossy leaves. Large bell-shaped flowers with long stamens sticking out from the middle, purple petals with darker purple spots on the upper petal.
‘Autumn Lilac’ is a cold hardy variety that produces excellent purple flowers with dark purple freckles.
  • Size: 3 feet high and 3-4 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Spring, Summer, Fall
  • Hardiness Zone: 6-10
  • Evergreen

If you are looking for an azalea that is known for its cold hardiness, autumn lilac is a great option for you. This azalea has beautiful purple flowers with darker purple freckles on the petal.

It is a smaller size with a nice mounded size which makes it simple to add into your landscape either as a hedge in a mass planting or worked into a perennial garden. The foliage on autumn lilac is evergreen and is a glossy emerald that will last all year long as the flowers bloom through the spring, summer and fall.

‘Autumn Majesty’

Close-up of blooming Autumn Majesty azalea flowers against a bright green-purple blurred background. Three semi-double flowers of a bright purple hue, consisting of wavy petals arranged in several rows and dark red spots on some petals. The outer petals have brown dry edges.
This re-blooming variety has gorgeous clusters of semi-double purple flowers with dark red freckles.
  • Size: 3 feet high and 3 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Spring, Summer, Fall
  • Hardiness Zone: 6-10
  • Evergreen

Another reblooming azalea, autumn majesty offers up trusses of semi-double flowers in a beautiful shade of purple. The wavy petals have dark red splotches and freckles on them. The leaves are glossy green, and evergreen lasting all year long.

Plant autumn majesty where these flowers will not be missed, maybe along your front walkway or a shady nook near a patio. The individual flowers are a bit more petite, but the clusters are large and the effect is gorgeous.

‘Autumn Twist’

A close-up of the densely blooming white flowers of the Autumn Twist azalea surrounded by small green oblong-shaped leaves pushing through the blossoms. Semi-double white, bell-shaped flowers with seven long stamens in the center and bright pink spots on the upper petals. There is also a random purple brush stroke on some of the petals.
This variety produces white or pinkish flowers, with a light purple brushstroke, making them extraordinarily attractive.
  • Size: 4-5 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Spring, Summer, Fall
  • Hardiness Zone: 6-9
  • Evergreen

‘Autumn twist’ is a really cool plant. The flowers are mostly white or pink, but they have a paint brush stroke of purple on a few of the petals. Not only are the colors eye-catching, but the flowers are huge! Growing to 3 or 4 inches wide.

The dark green foliage is evergreen and will stick around all winter long. With the reblooming ability of ‘autumn twist’ it is a great plant to use along a walkway, or in containers where you could use season long color. Plant in a mass for a big pop, or alone as a specimen plant.

‘Bloom-a-Thon Lavender’

Close-up of bright purplish-pink Bloom-a-Thon Lavender azalea flowers surrounded by glossy, dark green, elliptical foliage. The flowers are bell-shaped, consisting of 5 purple-pink petals with bright red spots on the upper petals, and long pink stamens sticking out of the center of the flower. Several unopened purple buds are growing on a bush.
This is a re-blooming azalea that produces purplish-pink flowers with red freckles in April and July.
  • Size: 4-5 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Spring, Summer, Fall
  • Hardiness Zone: 7-9
  • Semi- Evergreen

This is a lovely reblooming azalea that could be used as an annual in containers in cooler zones, or planted beautifully amongst the shade in warmer zones. The blooming of ‘bloom-a-thon lavender’ will begin in April, along with the rest of the azaleas.

It will rebloom again in July at some point and continue all of the way until the first hard frost. The purple blossoms are a purplish pink, with red freckles. The foliage is a glossy deep green which will last through the entire season.

‘Double Shot Grape’

Close-up of the densely blooming bright purple double flowers of the Double Shot Grape azalea bush. The flowers are bell-shaped, double, purple with red spots on the upper petals, the petals are wavy at the edges. The background of a blooming azalea is blurred.
This is an excellent azalea variety that produces double purple flowers with red freckles.
  • Size: 2-3 feet tall and 3 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Spring, Summer
  • Hardiness Zone: 6-9
  • Evergreen

Double flowers, with a double bloom. This azalea is a real beauty. Double shot grape has beautiful purple flowers with red freckles. The foliage is narrow, petite and bright green. Surround double shot grape with darker plants to really let the color of the flowers pop.

The first bloom of double shot grape will occur in the spring, then the azalea will take a short break and rebloom in the summer. This is a very heat and cold tolerant azalea, and would be a great choice pretty much no matter where you live!

‘Karen’

Close-up of two 'Karen' azalea flowers in sunlight. Beautiful bell-shaped, double lilac flowers with red freckles on the petals and long stamens. The background of the flower garden is blurred.
‘Karen’ blooms in spring with delightful lilac double flowers with red freckles.
  • Size: 2-4 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Spring
  • Hardiness Zone: 4-9
  • Evergreen

One of the more popular purple azaleas, ‘karen’ is a very dependable azalea and is the perfect choice for a spring blooming border or foundation garden. The flowers are a pretty lilac, with red freckles on the upper petals. 

After a beautiful blooming period through the spring, the bright green foliage will remain on the plant and turn a pretty burgundy in the fall. For maximum effect, plant ‘karen’ in groups in your partially shaded areas in your yard. Use around your front door for a beautiful welcome for all of your guests.

‘Koromo Shikibu’

Blooming azalea Koromo Shikibu with purple flowers and green foliage covered in raindrops. The flowers have intricately carved petals, long, spider-like, lavender in color with long stamens protruding from the centers of the flowers. The green, elliptical leaves surround the azalea flowers.
‘Koromo Shikibu’ has intricately shaped flowers with long petals that resemble spiders.
  • Size: 3-4 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Mid to Late Spring
  • Hardiness Zone: 5-9
  • Evergreen

This unique variety is a spider azalea. These azaleas have intricately cut flower petals that are long, and look like spiders. The flowers themselves are a pretty shade of lavender, and the petals can reach up to 1.5 inches long each.

After the gorgeous spring bloom that takes over the entire plant, you can get an occasional fall bloom as well. The pretty green foliage will turn red in the fall, making this a true year round plant. Plant these azaleas together for a huge impact.

‘Perfecto Mundo Double Purple’

Close-up of a flowering branch of the Perfecto Mundo Double Purple azalea covered with raindrops. The flowers are double, deep purple with dark pink freckles on some petals, the petals have wavy edges. Elliptical dark green leaves surround the flower buds.
This variety has incredibly beautiful double flowers of deep purple color with wavy edges of the petals.
  • Size: 2-3 feet tall and 3 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Spring, Summer, Fall
  • Hardiness Zone: 6-9
  • Evergreen

Perfecto mundo double purple is a really pretty azalea. The flowers are a rich purple that is saturated throughout the petals. The edges of the petals are wavy, giving a very full appearance to the already double flowers.

Similarly to the other reblooming azaleas, ‘perfecto mundo double purple’ will put out a prolific springtime bloom, and after taking a few months off will bloom again from the middle of the summer until the first frost. This variety has also shown some resistance to lacewing, which can be problematic among azaleas.

‘Purple Splendor’

Close-up of bright pink Purple Splendor azalea flowers surrounded by small light green elliptical leaves. The flowers have 5 petals with crinkled edges and bright pink freckles on the petals. Long dark pink stamens protrude from the center of the flower.
‘Purple Splendor’ has true purple flowers with ruffled edges and bright red freckles on the top petals.
  • Size: 2-4 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide
  • Bloom Time: Mid-Spring
  • Hardiness Zone: 5-9
  • Evergreen

This azalea sports more of a true purple than the rest. ‘Purple splendor’ has pretty light green foliage that will last all year long. Using this variety in the edges of your woodland gardens will illuminate the darkest spots in your yard. Plant them in the spring for best results.

The single flowers have a frilled edge to them adding to the intrigue of the plant. ‘Purple splendor’ is best used in mass plantings, but don’t count it out for your containers or specimen plant needs.

Final Thoughts

These purple azaleas would add splendor to your gardens, many of them for the entire growing season! Azaleas are easy to care for, requiring very little from us gardeners. For the reblooming varieties it is important to ensure that they are getting at least one inch of water per week to have the healthiest, long lasting flowers. No matter the style of your garden there is a purple azalea out there for you. I hope one from my list suits your needs!

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