Tradescantia pallida is a delicate evergreen perennial grown as an ornamental for its eye-catching purple foliage. It is native to northeast Mexico, from Tamaulipas to Yucatan. Joseph Nelson Rose gave it the name Setcreasea pallida in 1911, but D.R. Hunt of the Royal Botanic Garden Kew classed it in the genus Tradescantia in 1975. S. pallida or S. purpurea, the former names, are still frequently used.
This herbaceous plant in the Commelinaceae (spiderwort family) is a low-growing trailer that is commonly known as purple heart or purple heart wandering jew (and occasionally “Moses in the Basket, although this usually refers to a different species). It is hardy in zones 7 through 10, but it is easily grown as an annual or houseplant in colder climates.
On thick stalks, dark purple, lance-shaped leaves up to 7 long are produced alternately. The fleshy leaves create a sheath around the stem and are covered in light hairs. The stems are exceedingly delicate and can snap off when brushed or vigorously kicked. It will wither down to the ground in the winter in colder climates, but in the spring it will reappear from the roots. The sprawling plants can extend much farther and grow to a height of nearly a foot.
At the ends of the stems, relatively unnoticeable pink or pale purple blooms with vivid yellow stamens appear from midsummer through fall, as well as intermittently at other seasons. The three petals on these half-inch broad blooms are characteristic for this genus.
Purple heart can be grown as a houseplant, as a ground cover, as a trailer in a variety of containers, or cascading in baskets. They spread rather quickly and work best when planted in large groups in the ground. The purple foliage complements other plants’ pink, light purple, or burgundy blossoms beautifully and contrasts well with their gold, chartreuse, or variegated leaves. For striking combos, use it with complementing hues. scarlet begonias, orange marigolds, or chartreuse coleus.
Try putting it in a container with golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ or other types), Marguerite beautiful sweet potatoes, or light green asparagus fern. Alternately, pair it with coral-colored scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea ‘Coral Nymph’), pink petunias, or lavender or pink verbena. Four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa), lantana, scaveola, vinca (Catharantheus roseus), and Mexican petunia are other recommendations for plants with pink or purple flowers (Ruellia brittonia).
For best color development, cultivate purple heart in full sun; plants grown in shadow tend to be more green than purple. Plants can grow more compactly if you pinch them. Plants can withstand drought and grow when neglected, but they also accept constant watering. When you are actively growing, fertilize every month. After flowering, prune plants to keep them from becoming spindly. Reduce watering throughout the winter and hold off on fertilizing houseplants or those grown in containers to be kept indoors during the winter. Scales and mealybugs can be a nuisance, but purple heart has few other pests. Some people and dogs may have skin redness and irritation from the juice from the leaves or stems, but this is not a frequent issue.
Simply push a node into the soil or potting mix to get a cutting from any section of the plant to root, and plants can be readily propagated (or place in water until roots develop). This plant can also be grown from seed, however that material is infrequently accessible.
How is a purple heart plant maintained indoors?
Height: Up to 2 feet (60 cm) long, upright-growing stems eventually trail over the side of the pot.
Bright light is required to preserve the dark purple hue. While some direct sunlight is acceptable, protect your plant from the intense summer sun. Tradescantia pallida needs more sunshine if the intervals between the leaves are long.
Thoroughly water the plant, then wait 1 inch (2.5 cm) to dry out in between applications of water. When growth is slower in the winter, use less water. Cut off the entire stem at the soil line if it is limp or wilted as this may indicate root rot.
Room humidity is average (around 40 percent relative humidity). The brown tips of leaves indicate dry air. Check out these simple methods for increasing humidity around your indoor plants.
Normal to warm indoor conditions (65–80°F/18–27°C) are ideal for this plant throughout the year. In the winter, purple heart can withstand temperatures as low as 50F/10C. Keep away from air vents and drafts coming in through doors.
Feed your plants weekly in the spring and summer with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer (such as 10-10-10 NPK).
Take 4 in (10 cm) stem tip cuttings for propagation in the spring or early summer. In moist potting soil, they’ll root with ease.
How frequently should purple hearts be watered?
Purple heart is fairly drought-tolerant once planted, but if it receives regular summer water, it will appear cleaner and more lush. From spring till fall, water it once a week with an inch of water. To keep the roots healthy, let the soil surface dry out in between waterings. Increase watering to twice weekly during periods of high heat or drought if the soil is drying out sooner than usual. In the winter, cut back on watering to once every two weeks, and avoid providing any during rainy weather. Purple hearts growing in pots should also be watered if the top layer of soil becomes dry. Fill the pot with water until the extra drains out of the drainage holes. For this plant, always use containers with drainage holes.
Why is my plant with purple hearts dying?
I’ve addressed some of the most frequent queries about purple heart plant maintenance in this article. Please add it to the comments box below if yours isn’t already there.
Why is my purple heart plant dying?
Your purple heart plant is dying for a number of different reasons. Common causes include inconsistent watering (often too much), a lack of sunlight, or low conditions.
Is the purple heart plant indoor or outdoor?
Given the right conditions, the purple heart plant can be successfully grown both inside and outside. In colder climates, it should be kept inside, but in warmer ones, it can spend the entire year outside.
Knowing how simple it is to cultivate, the eye-catching purple heart plant can be a lovely addition to your house or yard. To enjoy Tradescantia pallida for many years to come, use these care suggestions.
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Size and Growth
Setcreasea pallida, also known as Tradescantia pallida, is a delicate plant with short stems. It grows in small mounds and only reaches to a height of 8 inches.
The stunningly purple, evergreen leaves are produced on the trailing stalks, which can spread up to 18 inches or more.
The slender, v-shaped leaves are 4 to 6 inches long. The sprawling plant offers weedy ground cover when cultivated outside.
Purple Heart plants, especially young ones, have delicate stems. The stems could break if kicked or trodden on.
Light and Temperature
Although it can take full sun, Tradescantia pallida purple heart grows best in partial shade.
Although purple heart Tradescantia grows best in the shade, bright light or full sun can enhance the hue of the purple leaves.
In countries with moderate climates, it is frequently cultivated as an annual in gardens; in cooler climes, it is typically kept indoors as a houseplant.
It needs filtered light for at least eight hours a day when cultivated indoors.
During the warmer spring and summer months, try to bring the plant outside to promote brighter foliage.
Soil and Transplanting
Tradescantia pallida should be grown on loamy soil. It need to provide respectable water retention and effective drainage.
Organic matter, such as compost or peat moss, should be added to ordinary garden soil to increase its quality.
Add a little sand if the soil is too rich. To replenish the soil, transplant as necessary or every few years.
Grooming
After flowering in the fall, prune the plant back to control growth. Additionally, yearly grooming promotes bushier growth.
Before bringing plants inside over the winter, prune them to encourage bushier growth the next year.
Can purple heart be grown indoors?
Tender perennial Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Heart’ is frequently grown as a houseplant or as an annual. With purple stems that trail, violet-purple foliage, and summer-blooming pink flowers. It usually only grows once a year, however in protected regions or during mild winters, it might. For outdoor planting, choose a spot with full sun to moderate shade and well-drained, high-organic soil that maintains a consistent moisture level. The best color development will result from direct sunlight. Plants grown in shaded areas have a tendency to lean more green. Every flower has a one-day lifespan. As an ornamental ground cover or bedding plant, it has recently been grown outside. It thrives longer than most bedding plants and has a propensity to spread aggressively in beds.
Use it in hanging baskets or pots, or as an edging plant in rock gardens or borders. Back off to promote bushiness. coveted for its vibrant and distinctive purple stems, leaves, and quick growth. It is frequently planted indoors as a groundcover or in hanging baskets for interiorscapes.
Insects, diseases, and other plant issues: There aren’t any major issues, however aphids, vine weevils, scale insects, and mealybugs are drawn to the plants. Caterpillars, slugs, and snails can eat outside plants.
Although it is uncommon, the juice from the leaves and stems can occasionally make people’s and dogs’ skin red and irritated.
Can purple heart be grown inside?
A fast-growing member of the spiderwort family with dark purple leaves and long purple stems is the purple heart plant (Tradescantia pallida), also known as purple secretia or purple queen. Although the plants also produce tiny pink and purple flowers, it’s the leaves that really stand out.
Plants with purple hearts have several uses. It works well as a trailing border around rock gardens and other enclosed garden settings, as well as a ground cover to provide a pop of foliage and bloom color to your landscaping. It will also flourish in a hanging basket indoors or outdoors or in a planter on the patio.
The native Mexican plant known as the purple heart was previously classified under the genus Setcreasea pallida, but a botanist at the Royal Botanic Garden Kew changed its classification to Tradescantia in 1975. The plant is still frequently referred to by its previous names, S. pallida or S. purpurea.