12 Beautiful Blue Flowers for Every Garden
Updated: May 01, 2023
Yellows, oranges, and pinks abound in the plant world, but blue flowers sometimes seem harder to find. Here are beautiful blue flowering plants to try.
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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 blooms to your garden this year, here are some to seek out.
Balloon Flower
Platycodon grandiflorus
Zones 3 – 8
Be patient with this blue flower. It 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. Psst—we found easy flowers anyone can grow.
Delphinium
Delphinium
Zones 4-8
The blooms also come in pink and white, but delphiniums are some of the best blue flowers available. Check out 10 gorgeous green flowers for your garden.
Statice
Limonium
Annual
This blue flower is commonly grown for dried arrangements and bouquets. Statice also attracts butterflies. Learn how to arrange fresh cut flowers like a pro.
Morning Glory
Ipomoea
Annual
Look for ‘Heavenly Blue‘ for the best blue blooms. Be advised that this 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. Also try these super fragrant flowers that pollinators love.
Plumbago
Plumbago auriculata
Zones 9-11
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. Check out more drought-tolerant plants that can handle dry weather.
Blue Cardinal Flower
Lobelia siphilitica
Zones 4-9
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 Daze Flowers
Evolvulous
Annual
Here’s another good choice for gardeners who are looking for true-blue flowers. This plant loves sun and hot weather, and will not bloom as well in shade. Grow blue daze in a container or hanging basket, or use it as a ground cover. Try more easy plants you can grow in containers.
Spiderwort
Tradescantia sp.
Zones 3-9
A native wildflower, spiderwort boasts bright yellow stamens that emphasize the blue flowers. Also consider these easy-to-grow native plants.
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 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.
Early Scilla
Scillia mischtschenkoana
Zones 4 to 7
If you’re into cool blue hues and want plants that are super easy to maintain, seek out early scilla. This low-growing plant features star-shaped white blossoms striped with blue. Early scillia grows in full sun to light shade and spreads by offsets and self-seeding. Plant the bulbs in autumn for beautiful blooms from late winter to early spring.