What is Purple Heart?
Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida), also sold as purple queen, is a fast-growing trailing spiderwort native to northeastern Mexico. Its stems and leaves are uniformly deep violet — not just the undersides — making it one of the most consistently purple-foliaged plants available at any garden center. Indoors it drapes from shelves and baskets; outdoors in warm climates it spreads as a drought-tolerant ground cover. Despite looking exotic, it’s as tough as a common pothos.
Why is my Purple Heart losing its purple color?
The violet pigment in Purple Heart is anthocyanin, and the plant synthesizes it in direct response to light intensity. In low or medium indoor light the leaves fade to a murky green-purple; in strong bright light — a south- or west-facing windowsill, a sunny porch, or filtered outdoor sun — the color deepens to a rich violet almost overnight. If your plant has gone dull, simply move it brighter and give it two to three weeks to respond.
How much light does Purple Heart need?
Bright indirect light is the minimum; some direct sun is a bonus. Indoors, a south- or west-facing window within a foot or two of the glass is ideal. Unlike many houseplants, Purple Heart tolerates several hours of direct morning or filtered sun without scorching, which is rare and makes it a great candidate for bright sunrooms and covered patios. North or east windows with low intensity will keep it alive but fade its color.
How often should you water Purple Heart?
Water about every 1–2 weeks, letting the top inch of soil dry out first. The semi-succulent stems store water, so the plant tolerates drought well but rots quickly in soggy soil. Use a pot with drainage and a well-draining mix — a standard cactus or all-purpose potting mix amended with a handful of perlite works well. Signs of overwatering are yellowing lower leaves; signs of underwatering are crispy leaf tips and limp, easily perked-up stems after watering.
How do you propagate Purple Heart?
Purple Heart is one of the easiest plants to propagate. Cut a stem just below a node — the point where a leaf joins the stem — strip the lowest leaves, and either place the cutting in a glass of water or press it directly into moist potting mix. Roots appear in one to two weeks in water; pot them up once roots reach an inch long. The parent plant will push new growth from the cut points, becoming bushier in the process. A single pot can fill a hanging basket in one season this way.
Is Purple Heart safe for pets?
Purple Heart is mildly toxic to cats and dogs. The sap can cause contact dermatitis — redness and irritation — on skin and in the mouth, and ingestion may cause mild nausea or vomiting. The ASPCA does not list Tradescantia pallida separately, but the closely related wandering dude (Tradescantia fluminensis) is listed as toxic to cats and dogs, so it is sensible to keep Purple Heart out of reach of curious pets.