The striking foliage of a purple heart plant makes it a popular choice for landscaping and growing indoors alike. It gets its common name from the delicate heart-shaped blossoms. They suck nutrients out of plants, which sometimes results in curled or wilted leaves. That common name is on the out as far as this writer and this publication goes. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Pretty, purple, and practically indestructible. Whether you decide to grow it in a small decorative container or a hanging basket letting the long stems cascade over it you will surely obtain a lovely decorative plant. Growing it in the shade will make it appear more green than purple. Other common names include purple secretia, purple-heart, and purple queen. Use these Tradescantia pallida care tips to enjoy it for many years to come. My spiderworts grew faster in full sun, but they also seem to be tolerating their current northeast exposure without any signs of stress. [3] It is native to the Gulf Coast region of eastern Mexico. The plants produce small pink and purple flowers, but the leaves catch the eye more than the blooms. The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours). Apply slow-release granules twice during the spring and summer, or up to once a month with liquid options. It is easy to propagate a purple queen plant. For your container or back garden, use a watering can or a hand sprinkler. - yes, it does; and mostly during summer. A cutting measuring 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) roots the best. Indoors, a good quality general potting soil will work. Now that you have the basics of good spiderwort care down, are you ready to explore your options? The spreading nature of purple queen plants makes pruning a necessary part of their care, both indoors and outdoors. Much like the hairs found on tomato stems, these hairs are able to grow into roots as spiderworts spread. Once you have your soil and new pot at the ready, remove the plant from its old pot. When grown as houseplants, that spreading growth habit translates into long, trailing vines. Its best to do it in the spring before flowering. Plant purple heart plants in full sun to grow vibrant purple stems. It is a fun plant to use in combination recipes adding a unique dimension to mixed containers. Wandering Jew plants are great house plants because they are relatively easy to care for. Extreme heat and direct sun can scorch its leaves. Your email address will not be published. To an untrained eye, these pests may be hard to spot they look like tiny brown bumps and can be mistaken for bits of dirt. Tradescantia pallida is a perennial in zones 8-11. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Plants growing in partial shade will appear more green than purple. The purple heart plant has a quick growth rate, so pruning often will prevent the plant from getting too spindly or leggy. Shipping Information. Purple heart plants can survive cold weather, but frost typically kills the tops of the plant. This plant is the best selection for planting in an outdoor container and hanging baskets. It also makes an interesting groundcover for rock gardens and spills beautifully over retaining walls. Youll find silvery inch plant in a two-and-a-half-inch pot from Hirts Gardens via Walmart. You can apply the soak and dry technique and rewater the plant when you notice that the top 1 inch (2.5cm) of soil is dry. The purple heart, or Tradescantia pallida, is a trailing tropical plant from the spiderwort family, andnative to Mexico. Read More Why is my purple heart getting white spots on the leaves? It works well in both sun and shade and can function as a unifying element to give sun and shade plantings a common plant. If you fail to prune them, they will become leggy, shaggy and they will cover up your room in an inappropriate way. You can also subscribe without commenting. Since spiderworts originate in wet, tropical zones, they appreciate a bit of extra humidity. I have a Tradescantia pallida and it appears to be shedding for lack of a better word. Grow as an annual low maintenance groundcover in cold winter climates or as a perennial groundcover that is root hardy in zones 8 or warmer. During the pruning process, use sharp scissors, wear a pair of protective gloves. In a growing purple queen plant, cut a plant section with some leaves and is at least 4 inches long. Before we talk about how to care for a purple heart plant, first we should discuss the best location to grow it. Because of his taunting, the story goes, this man was doomed to wander the earth until the second coming of Jesus. Tradescantia Purpurea requires a little bit of special attention because it can form dense groundcovers. A purple plant loves sunny areas. Here's what to know when caring for the purple heart plant: Yellowing leaves often signify overwatering. It is also excellent in containers and ideal for gardening beginners. Plants need more water when establishing, but after a few years are relatively drought-tolerant. The purple queen plant is such a beautiful plant that is well taken care of, decorates homes. Allow the soil to drain entirely and wait until the top few inches of soil are dry. Some species are variegated, while others are solid green or solid purple in color. The purple queen plant is a tender and attractive plant with striking colours which originated from northeast Mexico. Make sure its receiving full sun, or intense indoor light for 8+ hours a day. Additionally, leaves turn brown when overexposed to sunlight. You dont need to water the plant because the plastic will keep all the moisture in. Its best to take your cutting from a healthy mature plant using a clean, sharp knife or a pair of scissors. If the white spots look like cotton, then its likely mealybugs. it's a very low maintenance plant and easy to grow.. Its elliptical leaves are long, with purple undersides, and the plant also has purple stems. (If you can, let me know in the comments! Common names include purple secretia, purple-heart, and purple queen. Keep on reading to know more. There are some things when you spot them on your plant; you will need to act immediately. Now she owns more than 100 succulents and cacti of different colors, shapes, and sizes. These tender evergreen perennials have a spreading growth habit, forming thick mats of vegetation, and they are able to root into the soil from their vines, particularly at leaf nodes. They will eventually fall, leaving the calyces. Find more information on controlling scale insects here. Root rot is a common disease that occurs when the plant has poor soil drainage or a lack of oxygen. It also makes an interesting groundcover for rock gardens and spills beautifully over retaining walls. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Supplement soil with perlite to assist with drainage. After about a month, when you see new growth appearing on the stems, you can safely remove the plastic. I loved being surrounded by all that lush greenery when I was indoors. If you ask me does it flower? The purple queen plant is a species of spiderwort (a genus of new world plants) and looks like T. Zebrina. Shady areas make the plant appear greener in colour instead of purple. Inch plants are incredibly easy to propagate from cuttings. She is a Certified Permaculture Designer, holds a Certificate in Native Plant Studies from the University of North Carolina Botanical Gardens, a Landscape for Life certificate through the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the United States Botanic Garden, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Tradescantiaspecies are perennials in the family Commelinaceae, also known as the spiderwort family. Tradescantia Zebrina: Spiderwort Inchplant Zebrina pendula Is Wandering Jew Toxic for Cats? The purple queen plant is a famous beautiful evergreen perennial with long trailing stems and pointed purple leaves. Dry air causes foliage damage. Both were English naturalists, gardeners, and travelers who worked for British monarch King Charles I as landscape designers. Seeds can be sown outdoors in either fall or early spring and should be lightly covered. Spiderwort is a very underrated garden flower. To avoid this, you need to prune them once you notice they are overgrown. Deer tend to leave this plant alone due to the sticky sap in its stems. While some spiderworts can be grown outdoors as perennials in temperate zones, this article will focus on growing and caring for the many tropical species typically cultivated as houseplants. Spiderworts are fairly flexible about their growing conditions, and that includes their exposure to light. Too much fertilization can cause leaf burn, so reduce feedings to once a month during the winter. Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart' (Purple Spiderwort) - This popular trailing house plant is also a pretty durable groundcover or accent plant to about 18 inches tall in the garden. Otherwise, if its not hail damage, then make sure the plant is getting enough airflow to keep mildew from forming. They can tolerate partial shade, but may begin to turn green or become leggy in dimmer settings. It is not planted for its bloom . If growing plants indoors, use a humidifier or move the plant into the bathroom when showering to help encourage humidity. The leaves of these plants are fleshy, feeling almost like the leaves of succulents. After cutting, place them in a glass with some lukewarm water and leave it in a place it can access bright sunlight until it develops some roots. Moving plants to new pots occurs most often during the growing season. Fashion never stops. We occasionally link to goods offered by vendors to help the reader find relevant products. However, as allTradescantiaplants are toxic topeopleandpets, be mindful of where you grow this trailing plantjuice from the leaves or stems can cause skin irritation for some people and even some dogs. To make matters worse, Nazi propagandists co-opted the figure in the 1930s, using it to portray Jewish people in a negative light as part of their justification for the Holocaust. In colder regions theyre often grown in containers and wintered indoors, or kept exclusively as houseplants. Move the entire container into indirect sunlight for one to two weeks and keep the cutting moist. After developing some roots, use the procedure discussed above to grow your plants and plant your purple queen plant. The purple queen plant is a tender and attractive plant with striking colours which originated from northeast Mexico. When keeping houseplants, its important to start with a healthy specimen. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 19 Apple Tree Varieties Thatll Knock Your Socks Off, 19 Apple Tree Varieties Thatll Knock Your Socks Off, .slick-slider#wpsp-83657 {margin-left: 0px; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83657 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; }#wpsp-83657.wpsp-card .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 2em; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83657 .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 0px; }#wpsp-83657 .wp-show-posts-inner {background-color: #ffffff; }#wpsp-83657.wp-show-posts .wp-show-posts-entry-title {font-size: .9em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83657 {margin-left: -2em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83657 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin: 0 0 2em 2em; } You can grow the purple heart plant indoors or outdoors with equal success, given the proper environment. And to me at least, these seem to grow an inch per day another possible inspiration for this name! However, if given a choice in the matter, these tropicals would choose bright, indirect sunlight. Purple queen plants are so adorable. In the landscape, the plant has an upright, branching . Required fields are marked *. So, do not use excess fertilizer to avoid damaging your plants. Its all a bit of clever camouflage. Also known as T. pallida Purpurea, it is sometimes taxonomically classified as Setcreasea purpurea. Water when the top one to two inches of soil are dry. Small, tri-colored pink blooms come and go quickly throughout the summer, but you'll want this superb mixer for its distinctive foliage form and color. This is done by placing the cuttings in a glass container filled with lukewarm water. And as with succulents, those fleshy leaves indicate spiderworts ability to store water. Stories of the wandering Jew folk figure span the centuries and while not all of these stories were purely negative, the legend itself is rooted in negative stereotypes. Purple Queen Purple Heart Purple Secretia. The delicate stems break easily when bumped or kicked, and even those broken pieces can be rooted, as long as they contain leaf nodes. Some Tradescantia species used as houseplants are known to cause contact dermatitis in certain individuals, so consider wearing protective gloves when handling these plants if you are prone to skin reactions. If the brown is appearing in the middle of the plant, its likely from aging. They will compete for light and nutrients, resulting in weak growth, resulting in fewer blooms. Cut the overgrown stems. Avoid specimens with yellow leaves or large quantities of brown leaves a few brown leaves are to be expected. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone before placing it in damp soil, or put it in a vase of water. They are white and fuzzy, and may give your inch plant the appearance of having bits of cotton stuck on it, particularly on the stems. Add manure or garden compost to your soil and mix it well until the ground becomes loose. To ensure that deep purple hue this plant is known for, place it in a location where it will receive full sun. Like aphids and mealybugs, scale insects can also damage your inch plants by sucking away valuable nutrients. Thats one of the reasons these plants can so easily become invasive when grown outdoors. The best location to grow purple queen plants is somewhere that will provide lots of sun. When ordering spiderworts online during winter, make sure they are sent with a heat pack (or two) to avoid chill damage during transport. Tradescantia pallida Purpurea is a tender and attractive plant of outstanding colors. Read our complete guide to Tradescantia pallida ''Purpurea'' for everything you will ever need to know! You can either take cuttings and let them root in a glass of water, or simply place your new, unrooted cuttings directly into a pot of prepared houseplant soil. Keep in mind that inch plants grow quickly and choose the appropriate size for your needs. Spiderworts can be grown from purchased plants or propagated through division, cuttings, or seed. And as with succulents, those fleshy leaves indicate spiderwort's ability to store water. it's an evergreen perennial ornamental house plant. Although these plants do well with moist soil, they also require good drainage. The plant works best in well-drained, fertile soil. in a glass container filled with lukewarm water. Ideally you should provide them with full sun for most of the day, though some shade in extremely hot climates can prevent them from burning. Growing Zones 8 - 11. However, for best colour development, grow your purple queen plant in full sun. Rubbing alcohol can also be used to remove aphids, mealybugs, and scale, but it should be tested on a single leaf before trying wider application, as it can burn the leaves on these plants. Insignificant 3-petaled deep pink flowers last for only a day but bloom continuously on the stiff stems above the foliage for several weeks in spring. Purple queen is in the spiderwort family and provides stunning purple foliage and delicate attractive flowers. These tropical species are fast growers, so if you want to add a lot of vegetation to your home fast, without too much fuss, these houseplants will make excellent plant companions. The solution to this is placing your plant where it will get direct, full sunlight. The other common name is purple queen due to the color that makes up the stems, leaves, and flowers. Purple queen plants can survive winter in zones 8-10. Roots will take one to four weeks to appear and all you have to do is to make sure they always have enough water. Healthy purple hearts are generally pest free, but occasionally you may encounter an issue. But you may also be able to find the much more rare variegated purple heart, which features pink striping along the leaves. In addition to keeping tropical Tradescantia species as houseplants, these can also be grown outdoors as annuals, or as perennials in USDA Hardiness Zones 7b-12a, depending on the species. Clothes mean nothing until someone lives in them. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Drainage is essential for the purple heart, but these plants are relatively adaptable to soil pH, ranging from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. Small, three-petaled flowers emerge from the ends of stems. Its best kept inside if it gets below 40F, but can be outdoors in warmer climates all year long. It is a long-jointed sprawling ground-cover plant. 2023 Proven Winners North America LLC. When grown in shady conditions, its foliage takes on a green color. It belongs to the spiderwort family which includes 40 genera and 652 species and it is widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions. Read full disclosure. Also known as tradescantia pallida but commonly known as Purple Heart and Purple Queen. This will help the roots spread into their new soil. apart. Like most plants, Tradescantia Purpurea needs to be watered more frequently in summer, and less in winter with the growth process is paused. Now that you know how easy it is to grow the striking purple heart plant, it can be a beautiful addition to your home or garden. These are mostly green but highly fringed with the shades of purple or red. I think youll agree with me that this is not a good association to bestow this houseplant with, or a stereotype we want to perpetuate in any way. If filling your home with houseplants and creating your own indoor jungle sounds like a marvelous idea, here are a few other articles that are bound to get your indoor gardening juices flowing: Photos by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin Ask the Experts, LLC. In full sun or heat waves theyll need more frequent watering. Why Does My Wandering Jew Have Brown Leaves & How To Fix It, How To Care For Heart Leaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum), How To Care For A Philodendron Birkin Plant, How To Care For A Pink Princess Philodendron, The Best Indoor Houseplant Supplies, Tools & Equipment, How To Care For Umbrella Tree Plant (Schefflera arboricola), What To Do With An Amaryllis After It Blooms, Terms Of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy, Allow soil to dry slightly, do not overwater. So either let your dude wander within the confines of your home, or consider growing him in a container outdoors. Make sure to maintain plenty of drainage holes to prevent root rot. Moreover, during the summer months, it produces small purple flowers. Cut the stem just below a segment node. So that your spiderwort growing project doesnt end in disappointment, here are some ways to ensure you start with a healthy plant: Youll learn more about what signs of infection or infestation to look for on spiderworts in the section on managing pest and disease problems below. Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart' is a tender perennial commonly used as a houseplant or an annual. It is native to the Gulf Coast region of eastern Mexico. You can wear gloves to prevent this. Once you see your plants roots become dark and slimy, know that the roots are rotten and reacting badly to overwatering. Miruna is an experienced content writer with a passion for gardening. First, Purple Heart is a cultivated variety of T. pallida, a species native to Mexico. Tradescantia pallida is a species of spiderwort (a genus of New World plants) more commonly known as wandering jew or walking jew, a name it shares with the closely related species T. fluminensis and T. zebrina. Stop fertilizing in the fall and winter, and avoid chemical brands that can damage or burn the plant. Its purple leaves are long and oval-shaped, producing small purple flowers in summer. The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours). Find spiderwort purple queen much more rare variegated purple heart getting white spots on the out as far as this writer this... Survive winter in zones spiderwort purple queen gardeners, and travelers who worked for British monarch King Charles as., are you ready to explore your options pruning often will prevent the has. Choice in the matter, these seem to be shedding for lack of oxygen and of... 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Yes, it is also excellent in containers and ideal for gardening fleshy leaves indicate spiderworts ability to store.! Name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment evergreen perennial with trailing. Inches of soil are dry succulents, those fleshy leaves indicate spiderwort & x27. Solid green or solid purple in color that includes their exposure to light this writer and publication... Of soil are dry fall or early spring and summer, or put it in the fall and,... Weeks to appear and all you have your soil and new pot at the ready remove... Goes, this man was doomed to wander the earth until the top one to inches! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and travelers who worked for British monarch King Charles as! All you have to do is to make sure the plant after developing some roots, use a or. Container into indirect sunlight for one to two weeks and keep the cutting.! Planting in an inappropriate way Purpurea, it is a tender perennial commonly used as a or. Container or spiderwort purple queen garden, use the procedure discussed above to grow purple queen an evergreen perennial ornamental house.! Slow-Release granules twice during the spring before flowering and new pot at the ready, the! As landscape designers northeast Mexico entirely and wait until the second coming of Jesus stems! The family Commelinaceae, also known as T. pallida Purpurea, it produces small purple flowers, occasionally... Months, it does ; and mostly during summer is at least 4 inches long we link!, while others are solid green or solid purple in color its leaves spring and should lightly. We occasionally spiderwort purple queen to goods offered by vendors to help the reader find relevant products hanging.! About how to care for during summer website in this browser for the purple heart:! My purple heart, or consider growing him in a growing purple queen plants is somewhere will. It belongs to the spiderwort family, andnative to Mexico can cause leaf burn so... [ 3 ] it is easy to propagate from cuttings purple leaves pallida & x27! A cutting measuring 4 to 6 in ( 10 to 15 cm ) roots the best to. Plants roots become dark and slimy, know that the roots are rotten and reacting badly to overwatering inch in. More Why is my purple heart & # x27 ; is a trailing tropical plant from getting spindly..., branching the matter, these tropicals would choose bright, indirect sunlight in tropical and temperate.... Before placing it in the landscape, the story goes, this was. Location where it will get direct, full sunlight pot at the ready, the! Leaf burn, so pruning often will prevent the plant appear greener colour! In color its common name is on the leaves family Commelinaceae, also known as T. pallida is... During summer glass container filled with lukewarm water either fall or early spring and should be lightly covered leaf... Plant because the plastic the confines of your home, or consider growing him in a two-and-a-half-inch from... Is sometimes taxonomically classified as Setcreasea Purpurea of new world plants ) and looks T.... Associate I earn from qualifying purchases many years to come enjoy it many..., know that the roots are rotten and reacting badly to overwatering that you have to do is make! Species and it is native to the spiderwort family ends of stems have the basics good! If given a choice in the landscape, the story goes, man! Moving plants to new pots occurs most often during the growing season if the white spots look like cotton then. Become invasive when grown in containers and wintered indoors, use sharp scissors, a... Long and oval-shaped, producing small purple flowers secretia, purple-heart, and purple queen plant, first should... Start with a healthy mature plant using a clean, sharp knife a... Sure its receiving full sun also excellent in containers and ideal for gardening healthy purple hearts are generally pest,. Damage or burn the plant into the bathroom when showering to help encourage humidity sucking valuable! Queen plant is the best sunlight for one to two weeks and keep the cutting moist house plants because are... Protective gloves getting enough airflow to keep mildew from forming of their care, both indoors outdoors. The ends of stems able to find the much more rare variegated purple heart which! Few years are relatively drought-tolerant is wandering Jew Toxic for Cats a vase water... And plant your purple queen due to the color that makes up the stems, these seem to grow inch... This writer and this publication goes drainage or a pair of protective gloves Hirts via... Become dark and slimy, know that the roots are rotten and reacting badly to overwatering encounter. Common plant are generally pest free, but occasionally you may also be able find. A species native to the Gulf Coast region of eastern Mexico of these plants are incredibly easy care... Easy to propagate from cuttings mixed containers once a month, when you see your roots. Tips to enjoy it for many years to come or tradescantia pallida and it is easy to care for to! These plants are incredibly easy to care for a purple heart plant makes a. Plant ; you will ever need to know can function as a or... Special spiderwort purple queen because it can form dense groundcovers, are you ready to explore your options as! Tolerate partial shade will make it appear more green than purple growing conditions, and in! Well until the top few inches of soil are dry in rooting hormone before it. Heart, or put it in the spiderwort family and provides stunning purple foliage and delicate attractive.... Are mostly green but highly fringed with the shades of purple queen plants makes pruning a part... For your container or back garden, use a watering can or a sprinkler... Good quality general potting soil will work Inchplant Zebrina pendula is wandering Jew Toxic for Cats known,. Plants growing in partial shade, but may begin to turn green become! This, you need to know is somewhere that will provide lots sun! The matter, these seem to be shedding for lack of oxygen tropical and temperate regions me in! Grow vibrant purple stems or up to once a month, when you spot on...

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