Purple Heart
Tradescantia pallida · Purple Queen
It grows in the sun-baked dry forests and limestone outcrops of Mexico's Gulf Coast, in lean soil and glare. It is the most reliable deep-purple foliage you can buy, and it roots from a snapped-off stem.
Family
Commelinaceae
Origin
Mexico
In the wild
Rocky, sunny ground
Indoors
15–20 cm, trailing
Growth
Fast
With pets
Mildly toxic, irritant
Where it's from
The Gulf Coast of Mexico
Heat and glare
Native from Tamaulipas south to Yucatán, on limestone outcrops and dry, disturbed ground.
Outdoors: zones 10–11
Tender. Top growth dies at frost, though roots often regrow in milder zones.
Weedy in warm climates
It escapes gardens and forms dense mats. Keep it potted where winters are mild.
64 years under the wrong name
Described in 1911 as a Setcreasea, it only became a Tradescantia in 1975, which is why shops still sell it as Setcreasea purpurea. Its species name pallida means pale, a label stuck to the most aggressively purple plant you can buy.
Filed wrong for 64 years
Named a Setcreasea in 1911, moved to Tradescantia only in 1975.
Pale by name
Pallida means pale and describes the grey-green wild form, not the purple cultivar.
Sun makes the purple
The colour is light-driven. In shade it washes out to green-purple.
How to keep it
LightFull sun for colour
The brightest window you have. In shade the purple fades and growth gets leggy.
WaterWhen top inch dry
Drought-tolerant. It forgives drying out, but soggy roots are the main risk. Sparingly in winter.
HumidityDry air is fineLow humidity suits it. No misting needed.
TemperatureWarm, tenderHardy to about 1–5°C. Top growth dies at frost, so it is a warm-season plant.
SoilRich, well-drainedLoam-based and free-draining. It tolerates lean, rocky soil outdoors.
FeedingLightA balanced feed in the growing season is plenty. It grows fast without much help.
DifficultyVery easyOne of the toughest plants sold. The hard part is keeping it in bounds.
With petsMildly toxic, irritantThe sap causes contact dermatitis and mouth irritation. Wear gloves, keep cuttings from pets and kids.
PropagationStem cuttingsAlmost impossible to fail. A snapped-off stem dropped on damp soil roots itself.
RepottingEvery 1–2 yearsWhen crowded, or simply refresh it by re-rooting cuttings.
What the data says
What it costs
Cheap and mass-produced, often passed around free as a rooted cutting.
$6–15
Variegated forms like 'Pink Stripe' run a little higher, around $15–30. A minor collector tier, not a bubble.
IUCN · Not assessed
In the wild
The inverse of an endangered houseplant: it is the one doing the damage.
It is so vigorous that escaped garden plants naturalize, forming dense mats that can smother native seedlings in disturbed forest and along streams. A plant we propagate by the millions that, set loose in the right climate, becomes a problem rather than a casualty.
When it sulks
Leggy, green-tinted growthToo little light. Move it to full sun and pinch back to force branching.
Faded, less-purple leavesNot enough light. The colour is sun-driven.
Mushy stemsOverwatering or soggy soil.
Scorched leaf tipsSudden intense midday sun on an indoor plant. Acclimate it gradually.
Skin irritation when handlingReal. The sap is a dermatitis irritant, so wear gloves.
Varieties & company
The varieties
PurpureaPink StripeVariegata
Pairs with · keep apart from
SucculentsAloeSnake PlantCalatheaFernsPeace Lily
A new plant, every week.
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