Tag: naturally

Welcome to our list of naturally purple things!

There are so many different types of purple – reddish, bluish, pale mauves and lavenders, deep eggplants and plums. We’ve tried to cover all of these shades in this list, including multicoloured things that are mostly a natural purple.

Here’s a visual list of things that are purple in nature:

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Here’s a longer and more detailed list of things that are naturally purple, including descriptions:

• Amethyst: Amethysts are a type of purple quartz and semiprecious stone.
• Red Onion: These onions have a mildly sweet flavour. They can be eaten raw, grilled or lightly fried and are popular in salads.
• Eggplant: These are also known as aubergines and brinjals. A spongy, edible fruit that is popular grilled and in curries.
• Lilac: Lilacs are part of the mustard family. There are many different types of lilac flowers and they range in sizes, shapes and tones of purple.
• Violet: Also known as viola. Some viola species are perennials and some are small shrubs.
• Lavender: This is a flowering plant in the mint family. It’s commonly used in aromatherapy due to its calming scent.
• Purple Sweet Potato: A plant that belongs to the morning glory family with mildly sweet, edible tubers. Comes in purple and orange varieties.
• Blueberries: These are flowering plants with small blue and purple berries.
• Purple Carrot: A root vegetable that comes in orange, purple, black, white and red varieties.
• Fig: Part of the mulberry family. A sweet fruit with fragrant leaves.
• Yam: A starchy root vegetable with a powdery texture and a mildly sweet taste.
• Beetroot: Also known as beets. Enjoyed as juice or in salads. Their juice can also be used as a dye or stain.
• Plum: A type of sweet stone fruit with dark purple skin and orange flesh.
• Red Grapes: A type of small fruit (that is botanically a berry). Used to make jam, wine, jelly, juice, vinegar and oil.
• Passionfruit: An oval-shaped fruit with a dark purple rind white pith and golden-orange pulp. Extremely sweet and tangy.
• Blackcurrant: A shrub with edible berries. Can be enjoyed raw or cooked in sweet and savoury dishes. Are used to make syrup, jelly, jam and alcoholic beverages.
• Radish: A root vegetable with long green leaves and a bulbous root that ranges in colour from white, light red, to purple.
• Jacaranda Tree: A tree with long-lasting light purple flowers.
• Purple Corn: A variety of corn from South America. Can be used as a stain or dye as well as in food to make sweet desserts.
• Fuschia: An inedible type of flower with pink and purple petals.
• Tulip: Large, bell-shaped flowers with long, stable green stems. Varies greatly in colour and can be found in red, pink, yellow, white, and pale purple varieities. A member of the lily family.
• Purple Cabbage: Cabbages can be green, purple or white. An edible plant that can be pickled, steam, fermented, fried, boiled or eaten raw. A good source of vitamin K.
• Purple Cauliflower: A fluffy-looking vegetable that is most commonly found in white varieties but can come in purple as well. Can be used as a low-carb alternative to white rice.
• Red Leaf Lettuce: A type of lettuce with frilled, dark purple leaves. Eaten raw and usually in salads.
• Geranium: A five-petalled flower with obvious veins. Comes in white, pink, blue and purple.
• Cherries: A small, glossy stone fruit. Ranges in colour from bright red to dark purple. Sweet and usually eaten as a part of dessert (especially in combination with chocolate).
• Potato: Also known as a spud or tater. A root vegetable that comes in white, red or purple. Loved for its culinary versatility.
• Mangosteen: A tropical tree with round edible fruit. Mangosteen fruits have a tough, dark purple skin and white flesh.
• Blackberry: An edible, blackish-purple berry. Very sweet and commonly used in desserts, juices, jams and jellies. Their purple juice stains skin and clothing very easily.
• Elderberry: Also known as sambucus. A small, circular berry with vivid blue-purple juice.
• Black Rice (Forbidden Rice): Also known as purple rice. A glutinous rice commonly used in desserts with a mild and nutty taste.
• Shallot: A type of small onion with a sweet taste and purple layers.
• Purple Kale: An edible vegetable with strong, frilly leaves. Commonly eaten in salads and valued for their nutritional properties.
• Agapanthus: A type of light, blue-purple flower with small, trumpet-shaped blooms.
• Violet Coral: A type of fungus which is also known as magenta coral. Has pale, pinkish-purple tendrils.
• Lupin: Also known as lupine. A type of flowering plant with a tall stem and small blue-purple flowers.
• Cosmos: A plant in the sunflower family. A pinkish-purple flower with a yellow centre.
• Sage: A small shrub with pale green and lavender leaves. When dried, can be used as a herb and condiment.
• Sweet Pea: A climbing plant with large flowers that have pink and fushia petals.
• Aster: A perennial flowering plant with thin, light purple leaves and a yellow centre. The name “aster” is Greek for “star”.
• Bell Peppers: Also known as a sweet pepper or capsicum. Comes in yellow, red, green, orange, white and purple. Usually used as a vegetable in cooking.
• Garlic: A bulbous edible plant with a papery-white skin that is variably tinged with purple.
• Purple Broccoli: An edible plant in the cabbage family. Usually dark green, but can be found in purple varieties as well.
• Nebula Galaxy: A nebula is a cloud of gas and space dust and has many different colours.
• Purple Agate: A type of mineral that consists mainly of silica and chalcedony. Characterised by their colourful banding and used for decorative purposes.
• Purple Sapphire: A precious gemstone that is usually blue and can be found in yellow, purple, orange and green. Very popular in jewelry.
• Hyacinth: A sort of fragrant plant with clusters of vivid purple flowers and long yellow-green leaves.
• Foxglove: A plant with tubular pink-purple flowers. Grown as a decorative plant.
• Carnation: Also known as clove pink. A flower with showy, frilled petals.
• Peony: A flower with a large, round head and many layers of thin petals.
• Orchid: These are large, colourful and fragrant flowers. Commonly used in florist’s bouquets.
• Purple Diamond: Diamond colour is affected by chemical impurities and structural defects. Apart from purple, diamonds can also be found in white, gray, pink, green, red and black.
• Purple Chalcedony: This is a form of silica made of quartz and moganite. It has a waxy gloss and can be translucent with a wide range of colours.
• Purple Fluorite: Also called fluorspar. A commonly-occurring mineral that is used as a decorative crystal. Comes in colours of mixed pale green and purple.
• Purple Artichoke: An tall plant with an edible bud.
• Purple Okra: Also known as lady’s finger or ochro. A flowering plant in the mallow family with edible seed pods.
• Purple Topaz: A silicate mineral that is used as a precious stone in jewelry. Its crystals are mostly prismatic and terminated and generally comes in yellow, although other colours (like purple) are possible.
• Petunia: A common decorative flower with large petals. Mostly comes in pink, purple, white and fuschia colouring.
• Purple Pansy: A hybrid plant with large flowers. Very common in gardens, but not bouquets. The petals are multicoloured and are usually white, blue, yellow or purple.
• Waxflower: A type of shrub native to Australia. Cultivated for its pink/purple flowers.
• Calla Lily: A flowering plant also known as bog arum, marsh calla, wild calla, or water-arum. Has large, green leaves and a cone-like flower.
• Rhododendron: Shrubs with brightly coloured flowers which bloom from winter through to summer.
• Anemone: A simple, five-petalled flower with a large, dark centre.
• Sea Anemone: A marine predatory animal. Named after the flower anemone. Comes in many different colours, shapes and sizes.
• Wisteria: Climbing vines native to Japan, Korea, China and the United States. Has many clusters of small purple flowers.
• Violet Backed Starling: Also known as the plum-coloured starling or amethyst starling. A small species of bird with vivid purple feathers (on the males).
• Purple Thyme: An aromatic evergreen herb in the mint family. Commonly used to flavour savoury cooking.
• Teasel: Also known as teazle or teazel. Tall herbaceous plants with a fluffy, spiky head and prickly stem and leaves.
• Sea Lavender: Also known as statice, caspia or marsh-rosemary. Not actually related to lavender or rosemary. Has small purple and white flowers.
• Tanzanite: A blue and violet type of zoisite (a mineral). Only found in Tanzania and is known for its quality of appearing different colours when in different lighting conditions.
• Canterbury Bells: A flower that is used to represent faith and gratitude. Has bell-shaped flowers that are pale purple in colour.
• Red Dragon Fruit: Also known as pitahaya. Has thick, leathery, fuschia-coloured skin and can have either white or purple flesh (with black seeds).
• Purple Garnet: A group of silicate minerals that are commonly used as gemstones and in jewelry. Generally dark red, but can also be orange, yellow blue, purple, green, brown, pink, clear or black.
• Purple Agate: A rock that is made up primarily of chalcedony and quartz. Has a fine grain and many colours. Used as a decorative stone and in jewelry, but isn’t considered a precious stone.
• Quartz: A hard mineral made of silicon and oxygen. Used as a decorative stone, in non-precious jewelry and in watch-making. The most common varieties are clear quartz and rose (pink) quartz, but can come in many colours.
• Crocus: A group of flowers that belong to the iris family. Grown for their flowers, which are large, cup-shaped and vary in colour from lilac to yellow to mauve.
• Honesty: A flower native to south-west Asia and the Balkans. Has clusters of small, four-petalled purple flowers.
• Morning Glory: Flowers that open into full bloom in the early hours of the morning. These have trumpet-shaped blooms and varying colours.
• Zinnia: Flowers that are part of the daisy family. They have solitary flowers atop long stems and come in many bright colours.
• Purple Kohlrabi: Also known as German turnip. This is a vegetable in the same species as broccoli, cabbage, kale, and cauliflower. Can be eaten raw or cooked. Not in the same species as turnip. Has a round, bulbous root that comes in green and purple varieties.
• Purple Spinel: A mineral with pointed crystals. Used in jewelry making and for other decorative uses.
• Purple Jade: A mineral that is commonly used for ornamental purposes. A prominent feature of Asian culture and art. Comes in white, green and purple.
• Monkshood: Also known as aconite, wolfsbane. blue rocket, queen of poisons, women’s bane and leopard’s bane. A herb with purple flowers. Most species are extremely poisonous.
• Chinese Long Beans: Also known as asparagus bean, yardlong bean, long-podded cowpea, snake bean and pea bean. Has long green bean pods and small purple flowers.
• Purple Brussels Sprouts: A sweeter tasting version of the usual green brussels sprouts. They are low in calories and high in fibre.
• Purple Green Onion: Also known as scallions. They have a milder taste than most onions, and are closely related to shallots, leeks, chives and garlic.
• Purple Basil: This is a herb with a strong, spicy aroma and can be used to add colour to dishes.
• Hollyhock: A common garden plant with tall stems studded with flowers.
• Verbena: A plant with clusters of small, brightly coloured flowers. Comes in many colours, including blue, purple, red, white and pink.
• Clematis: Flowering climber plants with many different colours.
• Sea Holly: These are flowers with thin, spiky leaves and teasel-like blooms.
• Purple Tourmaline: A crystalline silicate mineral that is classed as a semiprecious stone. Commonly used in oraments and jewelry.
• Coneflower: These are flowers that almost look like inverted daisies. They’re popular as they attract birds and pollinators, are easy to grow and come in a variety of colours.
• Purple Larkspur: A common garden flower with blue-purple blooms.
• Splendid Sunbird: A type of sunbird. The males are a glossy purple with dark green wings and back.
• Purple Jasper: An opaque, impure type of silica. Used as a decorative stone and in non-precious jewelry.
• Sweet Rocket: A herb in the mustard family. Also known as summer lilac, sweet rocket, mother-of-the-evening and winter gilliflower. Has clusters of small, four-petalled purple flowers.
• Sugilite: A rare mineral that ranges in colour from pink to a vibrant purple.
• Ametrine: Also known as trystine or bolivianite. A type of quartz which is a mixture of amethyst and citrine.
• Ochre Sea Star: Also known as the purple sea star or ochre starfish. A chunky-looking starfish that is commonly a greyish-purple, but can also be orange, yellow, reddish or brown.
• Purple Barley: Part of the grass family. A cereal grain that is a major component of many health foods.
• Candytuft: Also known as iberis. Known to symbolise indifference. Has small blooms in a variety of colours.
• Cyclamen: Flowers with long, upswept petals that come in varied patterns and colours.
• Purple Asparagus: This has a sweeter and nuttier taste than green asparagus and has about 20 percent more sugar.
• Purple Lamium: A plant with silver-green leaves and clusters of small purple flowers.
• Iolite: A transparent blue gem with a purplish tinge.
• Purple Kunzite: A crystal which is found in pale pink and light violet.
• Purple Star Apple: A tropical tree which bears edible fruit. Also known as tar apple, golden leaf tree, pomme de lait, estrella, milk fruit and aguay.
• Lepidolite: A prismatic mineral from the mica family. Can be found in lilac-gray to rose tones.
• Purple Chaste Tree: An Australian plant with purple leaves.
• Charoite: A crystal that ranges in colour from violet, lilac and light brown. A rare silicate mineral.
• Butterfly Bush: A flowering plant that attracts insects and pollinators. Has long clusters of pink-purple blooms.
• Gloxinia: A flowering houseplant with large, velvety blooms.
• Common Comfrey: A plant with tubular flowers that is sometimes thought of as a weed.
• Salsify: A plant with ornamental flowers and edible roots. The flower has thin mauve petals and spiky stems.
• Allium: A purple flower which is closely related to onion. Has a cluster of tiny flowers atop a long, thick stem.
• Bee Orchid: A small orchid which looks like a bee surrounded by pale purple petals.
• Indian Purple Frog: A grayish-purple frog which is also known as the purple frog or pignose frog.
• Elegant Firefish: A species of dartfish that lives in tropical waters. A colourful fish with a purple head and multicoloured fins.
• Red Orach: Also known as salt bush, sea purslane and french spinach. An edible vegetable with green and dark purple leaves.
• Bellflower: A tall flower with light blue and violet petals in long clusters.
• Bell Heather: Also known as heather-bell. A flowering plant with tall stemsand bulbous fuschia flowers.
• Penstemon: Tubular, bell-shaped flowers that range in colour from pale pink to vibrant purple.
• Lobelia: A flowering, ornamental shrub with bright blue-purple flowers.
• Blue-Eyed Grass: Small six-petalled flowers with a yellow centre.
• Alpine Betony: Perennials that have vertical clusters of small flowers and dark green leaves.
• Columbine: Also known as granny’s bonnet. A plant with small, downturned flowers.
• Lisianthus: Also known as eustoma or prairie gentian. They have large flowers with petals in a swirled pattern.
• Nightshade: Flowering plants that can be highly toxic. Has large flowers with soft, velvety petals.
• Gladiolus: Also known as sword lily. Has long stems with vertical arrays of trumpet-shaped flowers stacked on top of each other.
• Hellebore: Also known as lenten roses. They have rose-like blooms and richly coloured petals.
• Catmint: A versatile and easy to grow plant that has bright purple flowers.
• Scabiosa: Also known as the pincushion flower. Grows in clusters of fluffy, pale purple flowers with long green stems.
• Pasque: Herbaceous perennials that have bright purple flowers with bulbous yellow centres.
• Blackcurrant Swirl Moonflower: Also known as devil’s trumpet or down thorn apple. It has large blooms that range from pale lavender to deep purple.
• Purple Coral Pea: A purple flowering plant that looks similar to wisteria.
• Dianthus: A flowering plant with clusters of flowers that have a ringed pattern around the centre.
• Purple Mountain: Also known as Zijin Shan. A mountain in china which is covered with purple and gold clouds at dawn and dusk.
• Violet Sea Snail: Also known as Janthina Janthina or the common sea snail. A sea snail with a translucent lilac shell.
• Alexandrite: A semiprecious stone that shows colour changes in different lighting. Ranges in colour from green to purple and is translucent.
• Spanish Shawl: A colourful sea slug with a pale pink-puple body and orange tendrils.
• Orchid Dottyback: A small species of fish which is fuschia-coloured all over.
• Costa’s Hummingbird: A species of hummingbird that is very small. Males have a distinctive purple cap of feathers.
• Crowned Woodnymph: A species of hummingbird that lives in tropical areas and forests. It has bright, shimmering jewel-toned feathers from green to purple.

We hope that this list of naturally purple things was useful for you! We did our best to be as varied and thorough as possible, but if we missed anything that you think should be included, feel free to let us know by leaving a comment.

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