Discover some of the best blue flowers, selected from more than 600 blue-flowering plants in Gardenia's database. Explore beautiful annuals, perennials, bulbs, shrubs, and vines, with inspiring pictures and practical guidance for sun, shade, containers, dry gardens, native plantings, pollinators, and a long season of gorgeous blue blooms.
Blue flowers have a special presence in the garden. They can cool a hot border, brighten a shady corner, soften strong yellows and oranges, or create a beautiful contrast with silver foliage. But blue is also one of horticulture’s slipperiest color labels. A cornflower may look unmistakably blue, while a clematis sold as “blue” can be decidedly violet. Some hydrangeas can shift toward blue under the right soil conditions; others cannot.
Gardenia’s plant database currently includes more than 600 plants and cultivars recorded as having blue flowers. Rather than trying to squeeze all of them into one guide, we have focused here on plants that combine appealing color with real garden value—from spring bulbs and annuals to perennials, shrubs, and vines.
Looking for flowers that read clearly blue? Some of the strongest candidates include cornflower, gentian, Gentian Sage, forget-me-not, Himalayan blue poppy, Lithodora, selected delphiniums, and ‘Heavenly Blue’ morning glory.
Find blue flowers for your own garden: Use the Gardenia Plant Finder to narrow your choices by USDA zone, sun, soil, height, bloom season, native status, wildlife value, and other growing conditions.
“Blue” covers a surprisingly broad range in horticulture. Catalogs may use it for powder blue, cobalt, lavender-blue, violet-blue, indigo, and occasionally flowers that most gardeners would simply call purple.
The chemistry behind flower color is complex as well. Anthocyanin pigments are involved in many blue flowers, but their final appearance can be affected by other compounds, conditions within the flower cells and, in some plants, metal ions. Even flowers on closely related plants can therefore look quite different.
For this guide, Gardenia uses three practical visual categories:
This is a Gardenia editorial garden-color classification, not a laboratory color measurement. Light, temperature, flower age, photography, and even the screen you are viewing can also alter how blue a bloom appears.
How Gardenia Selected These Blue Flowers
For this guide, we prioritized plants for convincing blue color, ornamental value, garden performance, varied growing conditions, and seasonal range. The aim is not to include every plant described in catalogs as “blue,” but to highlight flowers that are both beautiful and useful in real gardens.
Color → Season → Light → Why It Made the List
| Plant | Blue Impression | Main Season | Light | Why Gardenia Picked It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornflower | Clear blue | Late spring–summer | Full sun | One of the clearest familiar blues; excellent in meadows and cutting gardens. |
| Gentian | Deep clear blue | Varies | Sun–part shade | Famous for remarkably saturated cobalt and royal-blue flowers. |
| Salvia patens | Rich clear blue | Summer–fall | Full sun | A striking blue Salvia with a long flowering season. |
| Delphinium | Blue to blue-violet | Early–mid summer | Full sun | A classic choice for dramatic vertical color in perennial borders. |
| Forget-Me-Not | Clear blue | Spring | Sun–part shade | A familiar sky blue for cottage and woodland-style gardens. |
| Himalayan Blue Poppy | Clear blue | Late spring–summer | Part shade | Extraordinary luminous color where summers are cool and moist. |
| Grape Hyacinth | Blue to blue-violet | Spring | Sun–part shade | Easy to naturalize and particularly effective in generous drifts. |
| Ceanothus | Blue to blue-violet | Spring | Full sun | One of the strongest woody choices for a mass of blue flowers. |
| Lithodora | Intense clear blue | Spring–summer | Sun–part shade | Electric-blue flowers on a low, spreading plant. |
| Baby Blue Eyes | Clear sky blue | Spring | Sun–part shade | A western North American native with fresh, delicate blue flowers. |
| ‘Heavenly Blue’ Morning Glory | Clear sky blue | Summer–fall | Full sun | A fast-growing vine with exceptionally clear blue trumpets. |
Gardenia’s color takeaway: Of the 11 standout plants in this shortlist, Gardenia classifies eight as predominantly clear blue and three as blue to blue-violet. This shortlist deliberately favors flowers that read blue in the garden rather than plants included simply because “blue” appears in a cultivar name.
Bloom time, hardiness, size, and growing requirements vary by species, cultivar, and climate. Use the Gardenia plant cards and individual profiles throughout this guide for detailed information.
Some of the garden’s loveliest blues arrive early. Small bulbs can look insignificant one at a time, but planted generously they create pools, ribbons, and drifts of color beneath shrubs, along paths, and through emerging perennials.
Muscari produces short spikes packed with tiny bell-shaped flowers in cobalt, navy, and blue-violet shades. Plant it in numbers rather than isolated clumps: a broad drift beneath deciduous shrubs or along a path has far more impact than a handful of bulbs scattered through a bed.
Hyacinthoides non-scripta is famous for the blue-violet haze it creates beneath deciduous trees. Fragrant, nodding flowers line one side of each arching stem, giving established colonies their characteristic flowing appearance.
English bluebells are happiest in woodland-like conditions rather than hot, exposed sites.
Dwarf irises bring intricate flowers to the late-winter and early-spring garden. Depending on cultivar, their blooms range from blue and indigo to violet-blue and purple, often marked with flashes of yellow or white.
Their small stature suits containers, rock gardens, and the front of borders, where the detailed flowers can be seen up close.
Hyacinthus combines bold spring color with powerful fragrance. Dense flower spikes rise above strap-shaped leaves in blue, violet-blue, purple, pink, white, and yellow.
Blue cultivars give a stronger vertical accent than smaller bulbs such as Muscari or Scilla. Plant hyacinths near paths, doorways, patios, or in containers where their perfume can be enjoyed at close range. The sturdy stems are also excellent for cutting.
| Plant Type | Annuals, Bulbs, Climbers, Perennials, Roses, Shrubs, Trees |
|---|---|
| Genus | Agapanthus, Ageratum, Amsonia, Aquilegia, Aster, Camassia, Campanula, Caryopteris, Ceanothus, Centaurea, Clematis, Delphinium, Echinops, Eryngium, Gentiana, Hibiscus, Hyacinthoides, Hyacinthus, Hydrangea, Ipomoea, Lithodora, Meconopsis, Muscari, Myosotis, Nigella, Passiflora, Petunia, Rosmarinus, Salvia, Syringa, Veronica, Iris reticulata |
Spring starflowers form low colonies of star-shaped blooms in soft to richer blue shades. They look at home along path edges, between rocks, beneath deciduous shrubs, or anywhere they can spread informally without overwhelming neighboring plants.
Several Scilla species produce vivid blue flowers early in the season. Their modest size works best in quantity, especially beneath trees, at woodland edges, or threaded among perennials that will later hide the fading bulb foliage.
Camassia takes the spring bulb display upward. Tall stems carrying starry blue to blue-violet flowers rise through meadow plantings and perennial borders in late spring to early summer.
Unlike many bulbs associated with dry summer soils, camassias are well suited to sites that retain more moisture during active growth.
Annuals make it easy to experiment with blue. They can fill gaps between young perennials, spill from containers, weave through cottage borders, or provide an entire season of color without committing space for years.
Borage has a loose, exuberant character rather than a polished one. Nodding, star-shaped blue flowers rise above coarse gray-green foliage and are often busy with visiting insects.
It fits naturally into herb gardens, vegetable plots, wildlife plantings, and informal borders. Give it some room: where conditions suit it, borage may seed itself around.
Ageratum produces soft, fuzzy flower clusters in powder-blue to lavender-blue shades. The texture is quite different from the crisp petals of daisies and other summer annuals, which makes it a useful mixer in beds and containers.
Compact forms are good for edging and pots, while taller selections sit more naturally among other border plants.
Nemophila menziesii earns its common name with small, cup-shaped flowers in fresh sky blue, usually paling toward the center.
This western North American native is particularly appealing in cool-season gardens, wildflower plantings, rock gardens, containers, and informal drifts.
Few familiar annuals read as blue as immediately as cornflower. Centaurea cyanus gave its name to “cornflower blue” for good reason.
The fringed flowers have an easy, informal quality that suits meadow plantings and cutting gardens. For a lively contrast, pair them with orange California poppies, yellow Coreopsis, white Cosmos, or tawny ornamental grasses.
Nigella damascena looks best when it is allowed to wander. Finely cut foliage surrounds delicate flowers, followed by inflated seedpods that remain decorative after the petals fall.
Blue forms are especially charming scattered among roses and perennials, where they look as though they arrived there on their own.
Petunias offer an enormous range of summer color, including many cultivars sold as blue. Most fall somewhere between lavender-blue, violet-blue, indigo, and purple rather than true sky blue, but those deeper shades can still be excellent in containers and sunny borders.
For a color-themed planting, choose the flower you like rather than the cultivar name alone.
Perennials can return with blue flowers year after year, but color should never be the only reason to choose one. A moisture-loving gentian and a sun-baked sea holly may both contribute blue to a border while needing completely different conditions.
Amsonia brings a quieter blue to the garden. Clouds of pale, star-shaped flowers appear in spring, followed by handsome foliage that continues to give the border shape long after flowering. Many selections also turn warm gold in fall. Amsonia ‘Storm Cloud’ is one striking example.
Campanula is a remarkably varied genus, ranging from tiny rock-garden plants and spreading ground covers to substantial border perennials. Flowers may be bells, cups, or open stars, with colors running from clear blue through lavender-blue and violet.
Growing requirements differ just as widely, so check the individual species or cultivar. Campanula ‘Jewel’ is one compact example.
Asters carry cool blue-toned color into late summer and fall, when many earlier perennials have finished. Depending on species and cultivar, their daisy-like flowers range from lavender-blue to blue-violet and purple.
Taller forms mingle beautifully with grasses and late-season perennials; compact selections suit the front of a border or a smaller garden. They are also useful for extending the flowering season in pollinator plantings.
A good blue Meconopsis is unforgettable. The luminous petals can seem almost unreal—but this is not a plant for every climate.
The classic Himalayan blue poppies thrive where summers remain cool and damp, with moist, humus-rich but well-drained soil. In hot, dry regions they are notoriously difficult, and a better-adapted blue perennial will give far more satisfaction.
The classic Himalayan blue poppy often encountered in cultivation is Meconopsis baileyi, long sold under the name M. betonicifolia. Gardenia’s existing profile is currently listed under Meconopsis betonicifolia.
Aquilegia coerulea brings airy blue-and-white flowers to late spring and early summer. Long spurs give each bloom a distinctive profile, and the plant slips easily into informal borders and wildlife-friendly plantings.
Hardy geraniums are excellent plants for weaving a border together. They can soften the feet of roses and shrubs, edge paths, or spread between taller perennials without forming a rigid carpet.
Several cultivars are described as blue, although many are more accurately blue-violet or lavender-blue. Their real strength is garden performance: depending on the species and cultivar, cranesbills can flower for weeks or months and make dependable edging, underplanting, or ground cover.
For blue at eye level, few perennials rival delphiniums. Their tall flower spikes rise through early-summer borders in shades from powder blue to cobalt and blue-violet, often with contrasting pale or dark centers.
They generally perform best where summers are not excessively hot, with fertile soil, reliable moisture during active growth, good drainage, and some protection from strong winds. Delphinium ‘Magic Fountain Sky Blue’ is an attractive blue selection.
Forget-me-nots bring one of spring’s most recognizable blues: tiny sky-blue flowers with bright yellow centers appearing in loose clouds over low foliage.
They are natural companions for spring bulbs and look at home along woodland edges, in cottage gardens, and between later-emerging perennials. Many prefer moisture-retentive soil and protection from intense heat, although requirements vary among species.
Where they are happy, forget-me-nots can self-seed freely. That is part of their appeal in an informal garden, but it is worth remembering where space is tight.
Gentians produce some of the richest blues in the plant world. Depending on species, the trumpet-shaped flowers may be intense cobalt, royal blue, or deep blue.
The genus is diverse, so there is no single recipe for growing every gentian. Soil preferences, climate, and flowering season vary considerably. For a classic example, see Gentiana acaulis (Stemless Gentian).
Echinops pairs blue with bold geometry. Round steel-blue flower heads rise on sturdy stems and make an excellent counterpoint to softer roses, daisies, and ornamental grasses.
It also handles sunny, comparatively dry conditions better than many blue-flowering perennials that prefer richer, moister soil. See Echinops ‘Blue Glow’.
Agapanthus brings strong architecture to a planting. Rounded heads of trumpet-shaped flowers rise on bare stems above fountains of strap-like foliage, giving sunny borders and containers a clean, structural look.
Flower color varies from pale blue to deep blue-violet. Agapanthus ‘Midnight Star’ is a particularly dark selection.
Salvia patens is one of the salvias that can deliver a genuinely striking blue. Its large, velvety flowers have an intense gentian-blue quality and can continue from summer into fall.
Depending on climate, it may behave as a perennial, tender perennial, or seasonal plant, so it works equally well in borders and containers.
Eryngium produces blue in a completely different way. Stems, flower heads, and spiny surrounding bracts can all take on metallic blue or blue-violet tones, depending on species and cultivar.
Give it sun and sharp drainage, and its sculptural form fits naturally into gravel gardens, coastal plantings, and drought-conscious borders. See Eryngium ‘Blue Star’.
Iris sibirica carries elegant blue to violet-blue flowers above narrow, grass-like foliage in late spring and early summer. The blooms have a lighter, more refined look than many large bearded irises, while the upright foliage remains attractive long after flowering.
Siberian Iris is happiest in moisture-retentive soil and works beautifully in perennial borders, rain gardens, and near ponds or water features. Established plants can cope with occasional drier periods, but they generally perform best when the soil does not become excessively dry.
Veronica contributes slender flower spikes that contrast nicely with rounded roses, peonies, and daisies. Shades range from blue to violet-blue, and many forms are compact enough to fit comfortably into mixed perennial borders. Veronica ‘Moody Blues Dark Blue’ is one compact selection.
Blue is even less common among woody plants than among annuals and perennials. That makes a shrub capable of carrying a large mass of blue or blue-toned flowers particularly noticeable in the landscape.
A Ceanothus in full flower can be spectacular. Dense clusters of tiny blooms may cover much of the plant, with colors ranging from pale powder blue to deep, saturated blue depending on the species and selection.
The genus includes numerous North American species, particularly in the West, and their mature size, hardiness, and moisture needs vary widely. Many western selections flourish in sunny, sharply drained, lower-water landscapes once established. For a strong blue example, see Ceanothus ‘Puget Blue’.
Caryopteris waits until late summer to put on its show, producing clouds of soft blue flowers just when many borders are starting to tire.
Because it stays relatively compact, it slips easily among perennials rather than demanding a separate shrub border. Its late flowering season is another advantage where the goal is to keep flowers going into fall. See Caryopteris Grand Bleu®.
Blue hydrangeas deserve a little explanation because the familiar advice to “make the soil acidic” is only part of the story.
Color-changing ability occurs principally in suitable cultivars of bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) and mountain hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata). For responsive cultivars to turn blue, aluminum must be available for the roots to absorb; soil acidity influences that availability.
Not every hydrangea can change color, and a white-flowered cultivar will not turn blue simply because the soil pH drops. One color-responsive example is Hydrangea macrophylla ‘All Summer Beauty’.
Lilacs are loved first for their fragrance, but their spring flower panicles also offer a broad cool-toned palette—from white and pink through lavender, violet, purple, and blue-lavender.
Common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) develops into a substantial deciduous shrub, often 8–15 feet (2.4–4.5 meters) tall or more with age. It flowers best in full sun and well-drained soil and can be grown as a specimen, informal hedge, or background shrub.
Cultivars described as blue generally fall toward lavender-blue rather than the saturated blue of cornflower or gentian.
Low-growing Lithodora does not resemble a conventional shrub, but in a suitable site it forms an evergreen or semi-evergreen mat scattered with remarkably bright blue flowers.
It is a natural choice for spilling over walls, edging beds, or threading between rocks in acidic, sharply drained soil.
Plumbago auriculata produces loose clusters of soft sky-blue flowers over a long season in warm climates. Its relaxed habit allows it to be grown as a spreading shrub, trained against support, or used informally as ground cover where winters are mild.
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) brings cool color to late summer and fall, long after lilacs and many other flowering shrubs have finished. Selected cultivars offer lavender-blue to blue-violet flowers, often with a deeper-colored eye.
This adaptable deciduous shrub blooms most freely in full sun but tolerates some partial shade. It works well in mixed borders, informal hedges, and screens, especially where late-season flower color is needed.
Rosemary, now botanically classified as Salvia rosmarinus, is grown mainly for its aromatic evergreen foliage, yet its flowers add another reason to value it. Many selections produce pale blue to blue-violet blooms and can flower for long periods in mild climates. For one blue-flowering selection, see ‘Tuscan Blue’ Rosemary.
Echium candicans is a dramatic shrub for mild climates. In spring, huge conical flower spikes rise above broad mounds of gray-green foliage, creating an impressive blue to violet-blue display.
It is best suited to mild coastal and Mediterranean conditions. Because its invasive status differs by region, check local guidance before planting it.
Convincingly blue-flowered climbers are not numerous, but the best ones can carry color onto fences, trellises, walls, and pergolas—places that ordinary border plants cannot reach.
This is one cultivar whose name fits remarkably well. Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’ opens large sky-blue trumpets with pale throats and can put on a spectacular show once summer heat arrives.
The vigorous annual vine can cover a fence or trellis in a single season. Morning glory behavior varies by species and climate, however, and some Ipomoea can become troublesome or invasive, so check local recommendations before planting.
Clematis offers many cultivars in blue-toned shades, from lavender and blue-violet to deep indigo. Their large flowers make them excellent focal points on trellises and arches, even when the color is closer to violet than sky blue. Clematis ‘Multi Blue’, for example, produces richly colored double blooms that read as deep blue-violet.
Passiflora caerulea is not a solid blue flower. Its extraordinary blooms combine pale petals and sepals with a corona of blue to purple-blue filaments.
Grow it for intricate detail and exotic architectural impact rather than for a block of pure blue.
Start with your conditions, then choose the color.
| If You Need… | Plants to Consider | Why They Fit |
|---|---|---|
| A flower that reads clearly blue | Gentian, Cornflower, Salvia patens, Lithodora, Baby Blue Eyes, ‘Heavenly Blue’ Morning Glory | These usually give a stronger blue impression than lavender or purple. |
| Part shade | Forget-Me-Not, English Bluebell, selected Campanula, Meconopsis | Useful where strong afternoon sun would be too harsh. |
| Hot, sunny conditions | Salvia, Eryngium, Echinops, Rosemary, appropriate Ceanothus | Better adapted to heat and sun than woodland blues such as Meconopsis. |
| Lower water once established | Ceanothus, Eryngium, Echinops, Rosemary, drought-adapted Salvia | Useful candidates for water-wise and Mediterranean-style plantings. |
| Moist soil | Camassia, Siberian Iris, moisture-loving Campanula | Better suited to moisture-retentive sites than many dry-garden blues. |
| Containers | Ageratum, Salvia patens, compact Agapanthus, selected Petunias | Compact growth and long flowering periods make them practical pot plants. |
| Late-season blue | Caryopteris, Salvia, Veronica, blue-toned Asters | They continue the cool palette after many spring flowers have disappeared. |
| Vertical height | Delphinium, Camassia, Echium, Clematis | They lift blue above lower-growing plants and add structure. |
| Low-growing blue | Lithodora, Baby Blue Eyes, low Campanula | Good for path edges, rock gardens, walls, and the front of borders. |
| A North American native | Regionally appropriate Aquilegia, Amsonia, Ceanothus, Nemophila, Salvia and others | Native status needs to be checked for your particular region. |
Gardenia’s guiding principle: Match the plant to your hardiness zone, sunlight, soil, moisture, and available space first. Then choose the shade of blue you love.
Gardenia tip: “Native” is not a nationwide growing condition. A plant native to California may be well outside its natural range in Virginia. For ecological gardening, check whether a species is native to your region, not simply whether it is native somewhere in North America.
Think in seasons rather than searching for one plant that blooms forever.
| Season | Blue Flowers to Consider | Garden Role |
|---|---|---|
| Early spring | Dwarf Iris, Scilla | The first concentrated flashes of blue after winter. |
| Mid-spring | Hyacinth, Muscari, Forget-Me-Not, Baby Blue Eyes | Fragrant accents and low drifts linking bulbs with emerging perennials. |
| Late spring | Camassia, Amsonia, Siberian Iris, Ceanothus, English Bluebell | Adds height, shrub structure, and fresh color before summer. |
| Early summer | Delphinium, Campanula, Cornflower, Cranesbill | Brings strong verticals and relaxed cottage-garden color. |
| Midsummer | Salvia, Agapanthus, Echinops, Eryngium | Keeps blue present through summer with varied shapes and textures. |
| Late summer–fall | Caryopteris, Asters, Veronica, late Salvia, Morning Glory, Rose of Sharon | Extends cool-toned flowers after many early-season plants have finished. |
Gardenia’s succession tip: Include more than one plant for each part of the season. Weather can shift flowering by several weeks, so overlapping bloom times make gaps much less noticeable.
Blue can behave very differently depending on what surrounds it. Pairing it with a contrasting color makes it more vivid; surrounding it with white or silver creates a calmer effect.
Yellow sharpens blue without overwhelming it. Try blue delphiniums with yellow roses, cornflowers with Coreopsis, or blue Salvia beside warm yellow daisies.
Orange sits opposite blue on the color wheel, so the two colors intensify one another. Cornflowers with California poppies, Eryngium beside orange Kniphofia, or blue Salvia with orange daylilies can create a vivid summer border.
White gives blue room to breathe. Muscari with white narcissus, blue delphiniums with white roses, or blue hydrangeas surrounded by white-flowering perennials can feel fresh without becoming busy.
Silver foliage reinforces the cool quality of blue and is particularly effective in dry, sunny plantings. Pair Eryngium, Ceanothus, rosemary, or Salvia with Artemisia, lamb’s ear, or silver-leaved grasses.
Blue gives pink a cooler edge. Forget-me-nots beneath pink tulips, blue-toned perennials around roses, or delphiniums among pink peonies are easy combinations for a cottage-style border.
A single isolated patch of blue can feel disconnected. Instead, repeat related shades at intervals: perhaps a low blue flower near the path, another group deeper in the bed, and a blue-flowering shrub or climber farther back.
The plants do not have to match. Repeating the color is enough to lead the eye through the planting.
One lesson becomes obvious when you compare enough blue-flowering plants: the horticultural use of “blue” covers a very broad spectrum.
A cultivar sold as blue may open sky blue, lavender, violet-blue, indigo, or almost purple. The reverse is also true—a plant does not need “Blue” in its name to produce a convincing blue flower.
That is why Gardenia distinguishes between clear blue, blue-violet, and variable blue in this guide. If color is central to your design, compare the flower photograph and description as well as the cultivar name. And when an exact shade really matters, seeing the plant in flower remains the best test.
Among the strongest candidates are cornflower, several gentians, Salvia patens, Lithodora, Baby Blue Eyes, selected delphiniums, Himalayan blue poppies, and ‘Heavenly Blue’ morning glory.
Blue flower color usually results from complex interactions rather than a single “blue pigment.” Anthocyanins, other compounds, cellular chemistry and, in some plants, metal ions can all influence the final shade.
There is no objective winner, but gentians are famous for extraordinarily saturated cobalt and royal-blue flowers. Cornflowers, Salvia patens, selected delphiniums, Himalayan blue poppies, and ‘Heavenly Blue’ morning glory can also produce remarkably strong blues.
No garden rose naturally produces the clear blue associated with cornflowers or gentians. Roses marketed as “blue” generally flower in lavender, mauve, lilac, or purple shades. Blue cut roses may also have been artificially colored.
First, make sure your hydrangea is a cultivar capable of changing color. In responsive bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas, blue coloration depends on aluminum being available for the plant to absorb. Soil acidity affects that availability, but lowering the pH will not turn every hydrangea blue.
Perennial and woody choices include Gentiana, Campanula, Amsonia, hardy Geranium, Siberian Iris, Echinops, Eryngium, Veronica, many Salvia, Caryopteris, Ceanothus, Lithodora, and Agapanthus. Whether an individual plant returns depends on its hardiness in your climate.
Good candidates include English bluebells, forget-me-nots, selected Campanula, and Himalayan blue poppy in climates where it thrives. Some blue hydrangeas also appreciate protection from intense afternoon sun.
For dry, sunny gardens, consider regionally appropriate Ceanothus, Eryngium, Echinops, rosemary, and drought-adapted Salvia. Even drought-tolerant plants need regular moisture while their roots become established.
Ceanothus, Salvia, Echinops, Eryngium, Caryopteris, borage, rosemary, and many asters are visited by pollinating insects. For a stronger wildlife planting, combine several suitable species that flower at different times rather than depending on a single plant.
There is no single easiest choice for every climate. Cornflowers are straightforward annuals in many gardens, Muscari are dependable spring bulbs where hardy, and many salvias are easy garden plants in suitable conditions. Match the plant to your climate, sunlight, and soil before choosing by color.
Yellow and orange create lively contrast, white produces a crisp and restful effect, pink gives a softer cottage-garden look, and silver foliage can make blue flowers appear even more luminous.
The plants in this guide are only a starting point. Gardenia’s database includes more than 600 plants and cultivars with blue flowers, each with photographs and detailed growing information.
Use the Gardenia Plant Finder to narrow the choices by hardiness, sunlight, soil, bloom season, size, native status, wildlife value, and other growing conditions.
The goal isn’t simply to find a blue flower. It’s to find one that belongs in your garden.
| Plant Type | Annuals, Bulbs, Climbers, Perennials, Roses, Shrubs, Trees |
|---|---|
| Genus | Agapanthus, Ageratum, Amsonia, Aquilegia, Aster, Camassia, Campanula, Caryopteris, Ceanothus, Centaurea, Clematis, Delphinium, Echinops, Eryngium, Gentiana, Hibiscus, Hyacinthoides, Hyacinthus, Hydrangea, Ipomoea, Lithodora, Meconopsis, Muscari, Myosotis, Nigella, Passiflora, Petunia, Rosmarinus, Salvia, Syringa, Veronica, Iris reticulata |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
