Introducing a splash of blue into the garden is a great way to contrast the brighter hues of yellow and amplify the darker colors like the reds in your flowerbeds. A touch of blue adds a focal point to the flower arrangement in pots and beds, waking up the garden to a smorgasbord of color.
Blue flowers are pretty and functional, and they’re available in perennial and annual species to suit your gardening requirements. This post gives you a list of our top choices for the best blue flowers for your garden this growing season.
We’ve included native flowers that attract pollinators to the yard, with options for cool and warm climates. You’ll find all the information on the appropriate growing zones for each flower and the preferred habitat they need to thrive.
You have color options ranging from light pastel blues to deep indigo hues. Here are the top blue flowers for your yard this year.
Colorado Blue Columbine
The Colorado Blue Columbine is one of our favorite blue flowers in this review, if not our top choice for your garden. This wildflower is native to the Colorado Rocky Mountains, and it prefers growing conditions with moist soil that drains well.
As the Colorado state flower, the Blue Columbine likes growing around the base of mountains and in fields across the state. The herbaceous perennial flower is hardy, returning to bloom each year after lying dormant during the winter months.
It’s important to note that this flower is a protected species, and you’re not allowed to pick them in the wild. The plants grow to heights of two to three feet, blooming in the late spring. The blue and white flowers produce a spectacular display, especially when packed together in your flowerbed.
The flowers don’t produce a scent, but they look fantastic. The Blue Columbine prefers cooler climates, thriving in USDA Zones three to eight. Growing the plants in warm temperatures may result in the soil drying out and the plant succumbing to heat.
This flower enjoys growing in full sun to partial shade. Like an annual, the Blue Columbine is a self-propagator, dropping seeds at the end of the fall before overwintering until the following spring.
Common Hepatica
The Common Hepatica goes by several monikers, including the “Liverleaf,” “Blue Anemone,” and the “Mayflower.” This species is native to the southeastern states, with the biggest concentrations found in
Common Hepatica is native to the southeastern and northeastern US. You’ll find it growing in the wild from Maine to Minnesota and from Northern Florida to Alabama in the west. The flower has a charming personality, growing close to the ground in woodland areas.
The Common Hepatica enjoys growing on the edges of groves where it gets full sunlight in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon. The plant reaches a height of 6-inches, make its short stature suitable for the borders of your flowerbeds.
These flowers prefer well-draining soil with plenty of nutrients. This herbaceous perennial flower and dies back at the end of the fall, overwintering until the following spring where it returns to life. The Common Hepatica is a hardy flower suitable for growing in USDA Zones three through eight.
The flowers are lightly fragrant, featuring hues of blue, white, and pink. The plants require moist soil throughout the growing season but don’t overwater.
Narrowleaf Blue-Eyed Grass
As a member of the Iris family, Narrow-Leaf Blue-Eyed Grass is a faux grass that makes for a great addition to the sparse areas around your yard where nothing seems to grow. These hardy plants grow in partial shade, and they don’t need much water to thrive.
The Narrowleaf Blue-Eyed Grass is native to states across the eastern US. It also goes by the monikers “Bermuda blue-eyed grass” and “Lucerne.” When grown in a grove together, the long grass blades create a sea of deep blue across the yard.
Each stalk of grass produces one violet-blue flower, but it doesn’t have much smell to it. This grass likes growing in rich, well-drained soil, but it thrives in various soil conditions. As an herbaceous perennial, it makes the ideal border plant for your garden, reaching heights of one to two feet.
The Narrowleaf Blue-Eyed Grass thrives in USDA zones four through nine, and it’s easy for beginner gardeners to grow. The grass likes room to grow, and it can be fairly invasive if left alone. However, it’s easy to divide by pulling it up and separating the root clumps by hand.
These flowers require planting in the full sun, and they bloom in the late spring to early summer. It’s an attractive, low-maintenance addition to your yard.
Virginia Dayflower
This wildflower features clusters of three-petaled blooms that open in the early morning sunlight and close at noon when the sun is overhead. The flowers only last for a day, making them a sought-after attraction for the garden and a real treat for the gardener to watch when they decide to bloom.
The Virginia Dayflower is a hardy perennial species and its common to regions around the eastern United States. The plant has a long growing season, ranging from early spring to the early fall, and it reaches heights of up to three feet.
The Virginia Dayflower enjoys growing in fertile, well-draining soils, and it grows in the full sun or partial shade. You’ll often see these flowers in the wild along the banks of rivers and lakes. It prefers moist soils and requires regular watering for the best flower production.
When the plant drops its flowers, it self-seeds, with new plants returning the following year. The flowers have little scent, and pruning the withering or leggy foliage helps promote blooming and maintain the plant’s shape.
The Virginia Dayflower is most comfortable growing in USDA Zones five to ten. It grows vigorously in the right conditions, and the rhizome root system quickly spreads when given room.
Northern Blue Flag Iris
This perennial is one of the few flowers that love growing in wet marsh conditions. This flower has no problem with getting “wet feet,” growing well in waterlogged ground. The Northern Blue Flag Iris is a native species to the eastern United States.
As a hardy plant, the Northern Blue Flag Iris only requires shallow planting, and it grows in clumps. In the blooming season, the plant produces spectacular violet-colored blossoms, with the plant’s stems reaching up to two feet in height.
The plant flowers in the early summer and the blooms don’t produce much of a fragrance. Plant them in the full sun to partial shade and in USDA Zones three to six.
Blue False Indigo
This large, clumping perennial is common throughout the eastern United States. These plants are the ideal choice for the back of your flowerbeds, reaching heights of two to four feet before bursting into bloom.
The Blue False Indigo flowers in the early summer. It produces pretty blue-violet flowers that appear in “racemes.” This clustered flowering effect is also common in the delphinium or larkspur. This exquisite flower grows deep roots, but it shares space well in the flowerbed without encroaching on other plants.
Gardeners need to note that the Blue False Indigo is another variety that’s toxic to people and pets. This plant grows well in good soil conditions, and it’s suitable for planting in the sun or partial shade. The Blue Violet Indigo thrives in USDA Zones three through ten.
Bluehead Gilia
The Bluehead Gilia also goes by the “Globe Gilia” or “Queen Anne’s Thimble.” This short, bushy annual is common in western states. Still, it’s another plant suitable for planting in all USDA Zones (USDA Zones three through ten).
The Bluehead Gilia flowers in the late spring to early summer, producing lavender-blue flowers with a gorgeous scent profile. We like planting this variety in rock gardens as it only requires a shallow root system.
Plant it in the full sun or partial shade, and it produces flower stems up to one foot in height. This annual reseeds itself at the end of the growing season, returning the following year.
Mealy Cup Sage
This wildflower is native to the south-central states of the US. It’s a hardy and drought-tolerant plant, offering newbie gardeners a forgiving growing experience. This herbaceous perennial is common through the states of Oklahoma and Texas, and it grows well as an annual in cooler climates.
The Blue Sage grows in full sunlight conditions, reaching heights up to four feet. The plant blooms early in the summer. Deadheading the flowers brings on successive flowering rounds throughout the summer into the fall.
This plant grows well in average soil conditions, producing violet-blue flowers with a powerful scent that attracts pollinators into your garden. Plant the Blue Sage in USDA Zones three through ten.
Bottle Gentian
This plant is native across the northeastern states. The Bottle Gentian produces bud-like blossoms, and they don’t open in the traditional fashion of other wildflowers. This herbaceous perennial has a short stature, reaching heights of one to two feet.
The plant blooms in the late summer to autumn, producing pretty blue flowers that brighten up the yard. The flowers don’t have much scent, so don’t expect the bees to show up. It’s an easy plant for gardeners to grow, but overwatering will start to cause problems with the roots.
The plant keeps flowering all the way through to the first frost. The Bottle Gentian prefers growing in rich, moist soils, in USDA Zones three to six.
Texas Bluebonnet
As the official state flower of Texas, the Bluebonnet is native to the state and surrounding regions. This pant has no problem growing in dry conditions, and it loves the full sun. You’ll often see fields of them swinging happily in the breeze in fields across Texas. It’s an impressive sight, and it’s no wonder they are a state treasure.
The flowers come in striking cobalt blue and white petals. Reaching heights of up to three feet, the Texas Bluebonnet is a beautiful addition to your flowerbeds this growing season. It’s important to note that this plant is toxic to people and pets, so keep it away from your dogs and children.
This flower grows readily across USDA zones three to eight. The Texas Bluebonnet develops annual qualities in cooler climates, requiring yearly replanting. This cultivar is one of the few blue flowers producing a powerful aromatic scent from the blooms. It’s a great choice for attracting pollinators to your yard.
Understanding Wildflowers, Natives, and Cultivars
Some gardeners might find it confusing when we talk about native flowers. US-native flowers originate in one of the 50 states across the nation. You’ll often see these plants growing in the wild, with some of them popping up on the sides of highways across their natural range.
Wildflowers are native plants growing actively in nature without support from human cultivation. Some are annuals, while others are perennial species that return to bloom each year. Most annual varieties are self-sowing, meaning they drop seeds to the ground around them, allowing for a new batch of flowers to grow the following year.
When gardeners take wildflowers from one state to another, the plant adapts to the new climate, increasing its hardiness. The plants mentioned in this post are native to the United States, growing in the wild in various locations and environments.
However, gardeners may also grow them in other states as perennials or annuals, depending on the local climate conditions. These growers may also breed new hybrid cultivars, adding more variety to the seeds and flowers available at your local nursery.
When selecting the right flowers for your garden, make sure you pay attention to the USDA Zone recommendations and the specific zone requirements in your area. Choosing plants suitable for your hardiness zone is critical to receiving the biggest blooms during the growing season.
If you attempt to grow flowers outside of the recommended zones, it results in poor growth and limited flowering. Some plants might not flower at all. Check the USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map for more information on the conditions in your area. Match that information to the plants that suit your local climate.
