Yellows, reds, and pinks abound in the plant world, but blue flowers may seem harder to find. Try these lovely blue flowering plants.
12 Beautiful Blue Flowers for Every Garden
Updated on Jun. 05, 2024
Did you know that blue is the most popular color? It’s certainly my favorite, and my flower garden often reflects that. Blue flowers can be surprisingly hard to find, though. To me, that just makes them all the more special. I love to pair blue flowers with pink or orange blooms for a wonderful contrast. A garden full of cool white and blue flowers is also a balm for the eyes on a hot summer day.
If you’d like to add more blue flowers to your garden this year, here are some to seek out.
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Balloon Flower
Platycodon grandiflorus, Zones 3 to 8
Be patient with this blue flower. Balloon flower blooms in the second year when grown from seed. The blue flower buds look like balloons before opening.
Check out the top 10 classic yellow flowers to grow.
Cornflower
Centaurea cyanus, Annual
Perhaps the bluest of all blue flowers, cornflower is usually grown from seed. This plant is also commonly known as bachelor’s button.
Delphinium
Delphinium, Zones 4 to 8
The blooms also come in pink and white, but delphiniums are some of the best blue flowers available.
Check out gorgeous green flowers for your garden.
Statice
Limonium, Annual
This blue flower is commonly grown for dried arrangements and bouquets. Statice also attracts butterflies.
Morning Glory
Ipomoea, Annual
Look for ‘Heavenly Blue’ for the best blue blooms. Be advised that this flowering vine can be somewhat aggressive.
Check out the top 10 vines for hummingbirds.
Salvia
Salvia sp., Annual
There are many blue salvia species, including black and blue salvia, mealycup sage, pitcher sage, Playin’ the Blues salvia, and meadow sage. This variety makes it easy to find the right ones for your garden.
Plumbago
Plumbago auriculata, Zones 9 to 11
This sprawling shrub with blue flowers thrives in heat and full sun. Southern gardeners will have the most success with plumbago. As a bonus, it is drought-tolerant once established.
Blue Cardinal Flower
Lobelia siphilitica, Zones 4 to 9
Cardinal flower comes in bright red and cool blue. This plant, which is beloved by hummingbirds and other pollinators, prefers moist soil.
Psst—we found the prettiest purple flowering plants to grow in your garden.
Blue Columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris, Zones 3 to 8
Here’s another good choice for gardeners who are looking for true-blue flowers. These spring bloomers are uniquely lovely in shady woodland gardens. As a bonus, Columbine flowers attract hummingbirds!
Spiderwort
Tradescantia sp., Zones 3 to 9
A native wildflower, spiderwort boasts bright yellow stamens that emphasize the blue flowers among grasslike foliage. Plant it in a sunny area with moist soil.
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica, Zones 3 to 9
This wildflower of the East and Midwest makes an ideal companion plant for daffodils and hostas, then it dies back until the next year. Grow Virginia bluebells in humus-rich moist soil and the plants will self-sow into a colony. This early-spring bloom provides nectar for bees and other pollinators.
Grape Hyacinth
Muscari armeniacum, Zones 3 to 9
If you’re into pretty blue hues and want plants that are super easy to maintain, seek out grape hyacinth. This low-growing plant is a welcome sight after a long winter. Plant the bulbs in autumn and look forward to beautiful blooms in spring. Butterflies love it, too.
