Tradescantia pallida 'Purpurea'
Purple Heart, Purple Queen
COMMELINACEAE
This
beautiful purple leaved trailing perennial belongs to a genus of about 65
plants which originate in the Americas. This species is therefore a cousin
of the Wandering Jew. The purple heart comes from Mexico.
The purple flowers have three petals and are short lived. It can be grown indoors, in a hanging basket or outdoors in zones 8 - 11.
They are easy to care for, needing four hours of sun, average soil and moderate watering. Do not let this plant dry out between waterings.
Pinching back the long hanging stems increases the center growth and encourages the pale, orchid like flowers.
Propagation is by stem cuttings at any time.
Cousins of this plant are the Wandering Jew (Tradescantia fluminensis),
which is either green leaved or varigiated and the purple version (Tradescantia
zebrina)