Though fertilizing a purple queen plant is not a necessary part of their care, the occasional feeding can reinvigorate growth, enhance flowering, and make the colors more vibrant. Prolonged exposure to freezing weather will eventually kill the plant however, roots and all. The foliage may die back after a light freeze, but can regrow in the spring as long as the ground doesn’t freeze. Outdoors, they’ll thrive in a 60-80☏ range, but can survive down to 40☏. The average household temperatures are ideal for a purple heart plant. Purple queen plant in an outdoor garden Temperature Set them on a pebble tray or run a small humidifier nearby to increase the humidity in your home. Humidity is not often an issue outdoors, but if your indoor purple queen plant has limp or brown dried leaves, it may need more. Indoors, keep them evenly moist, and always drain off the excess to avoid overwatering. In full sun or heat waves they’ll need more frequent watering. An inexpensive moisture gauge will help you get it just right. When the top few inches of soil are dry, water deeply to encourage hardier roots, but avoid making it sodden. Once established, Tradescantia pallida is fairly drought tolerant, but won’t do well in extended periods of dryness. If you notice the color fading or legginess, supplement with a grow light. They’ll do their best with 8+ hours every day. Giving them enough light indoors can be a challenge, even in a sunny window. 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. In order to maintain the striking color, purple queen plants need a lot of light, which can be the most challenging part of their care. Use these tips to keep yours thriving year after year. Now that you have the ideal place in mind to grow a purple heart plant, let’s talk about their care. Growing purple heart in an outdoor planter Purple Heart Plant Care & Growing Instructions No matter where you grow them, they’ll need good drainage to thrive. In warm enough climates they’re used as ground cover, but can also trail over walls, large containers, or hanging baskets. They can tolerate partial shade, but may begin to turn green or become leggy in dimmer settings. The color is more vibrant when given plenty of light. The best location to grow purple queen plants is somewhere that will provide lots of sun. In colder regions they’re often grown in containers and wintered indoors, or kept exclusively as houseplants. The foliage won’t survive very long in temperatures colder than 40☏.īut the roots can put out new growth when it warms up in the spring as long as the ground doesn’t freeze. Tradescantia pallida is a perennial in zones 8-11. Choosing a good spot is an important step for long-lasting health. How To Grow Purple Heart Plantīefore we talk about how to care for a purple heart plant, first we should discuss the best location to grow it. Tradescantia pallida is not on the ASPCA’s toxic plant list of plants that are toxic to cats and dogs.īut the University of Wisconsin notes that sap from cut or broken stems can occasionally cause skin irritation for people or pets. Heart shaped flowers on purple queen plant Toxicity The most common type of Tradescantia pallida is a deep, uniformly purple shade.īut you may also be able to find the much more rare variegated purple heart, which features pink striping along the leaves. It’s a spreading plant that will fill up any space it’s given, but rarely grows taller than 1.5’. The lance-shaped leaves can reach up to 7” long on delicate, thin stems. The other common name is purple queen due to the color that makes up the stems, leaves, and flowers. It gets its common name from the delicate heart-shaped blossoms. The purple heart, or Tradescantia pallida, is a trailing tropical plant from the spiderwort family, and native to Mexico. Purple Heart Plant Care Overview Scientific name:Īllow soil to dry slightly, do not overwater
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