Purple Heart Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart'

Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart' is a tender perennial commonly used as a houseplant or an annual.   Featuring trailing purple stems with violet-purple leaves and pink flowers that appear in the summer.  It is generally an annual but may come back in protected areas or in mild winters. To plant outdoors find a location with full sun to partial shade and well-drained high organic matter soil that stays evenly moist.   Full sun will produce the best color development.  Plants placed in a shady location will tend to have a more greenish tint.  Each flower only lasts one day.  It has been recently grown outdoors as a decorative ground cover or bedding plant. It has a tendency to become invasive in beds and survives longer than most bedding plants.  

It works well in borders, rock gardens, or as an edging plant, use in containers or hanging baskets. Pinch back to encourage bushiness. Desired for its colorful and distinguishing purple foliage, stems and fast growth.  It is also commonly grown indoors in a hanging basket or in interiorscapes as a groundcover. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious problems, although aphids and vine weevil are attracted, as well as scales and mealybugs.  Outdoor plants can be munched on by caterpillars, slugs and snails.  

Protect from strong winds that can damage the stems.

The juice from the leaves and stems can occasional cause skin redness and irritation in both humans and dogs, however, this issue is not common.

Quick ID

• Leaf front and back and stems are PURPLE
• Flowers are at the ends of stems, and are usually pink