Purple heart is a tender low-growing, trailing, perennial in the spiderwort family (Commelinaceae) that is commonly used as a houseplant or an annual. The plant species is from Mexico, where it grows as a ground cover. The specific epithet, pallida , means "pale." Although generally an annual, this plant may come back in protected areas or in mild winters. To plant outdoors find a location with full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Full sun will result in the best color development. Plants placed in a shady location will tend to have a more greenish tint. Pinch back to encourage bushiness. It is hardy in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 10–11. Container plants need to be brought indoors during the winter. These plants do not tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It is tolerant of salt, drought, humidity, and dry soil. It is best propagated by stem cuttings. The purple heart features trailing purple stems with dark purple, lance-shaped leaves that are covered in pale hairs. The flowers appear in midsummer and are pink to pale purple with bright yellow stamens. Each flower lasts only one day. The purple heart is desired for its colorful and distinguishing purple foliage, stems and fast growth. Grow it outdoors as a decorative ground cover or bedding plant that will survive longer than most bedding plants. It may be used in a rock garden or cottage garden. It works well in a mass plantings on slopes, in borders, or in containers. It is commonly grown indoors in a hanging basket or in interiorscapes as a ground cover. Quick ID Hints: Leaf front and back and stems are purple. Flowers are at the ends of stems and are usually pink. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Monitor for scale, aphids, vine weevil, and mealybugs. Outdoor plants can be eaten on by caterpillars, slugs and snails. Protect the plant from strong winds that can damage the stems. It has a tendency to become invasive in beds. Be aware that ingestion of this plant can cause mouth and stomach irritation in pets and humans. The sap from the leaves and stem can also cause skin irritation in both humans and pets. More information on Tradescantia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Cascading; Clumping; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Purple/Lavender
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery; Slippery
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are alternate, simple, and oblong-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, spirally arranged, and measure 4 to 6 inches long. They are acute, blade sessile with a closed sheath, margins in rolled to give trough-shape, reddish-purple above and below.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Saucer
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers are pink to pale purple, about 1 inch in diameter, 3-petaled, and appears in clusters at the terminal end of the stem.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruit is a smooth capsule that measures 3.5 mm.
Stem color
Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
The stems are thick, fleshy, purple, but fragile. They are ascending, decumbent or trailing, and root at nodes.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Mexico
Distribution
Introduced: Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Chad, China Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guinea, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Madeira, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Trinidad-Tobago, Tunisia, and United States--AL, FL, and LA
Children's Garden; Cottage Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border; Mass Planting; Small groups
Garden tags
#houseplant #ncemgva2018 #interiorscape #drought tolerant #salt tolerant #deer resistant #interesting leaves #easy to propagate #easy to grow #rock garden #low maintenance #groundcover #edging #hanging baskets #fantz #full sun tolerant #partial shade tolerant #herbaceous #tender perennial #herbaceous perennial #low growing #trailing #semi-evergreen #year-round interest #ornamentals #container plant #buncombe county sun and shade garden #annual #accent #problem for children #problem for dogs #poisonous if ingested #problem for cats #cpp
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Aphids on Ornamental Landscape Plants; Mealybugs; Black Vine Weevil
Problems
Contact Dermatitis; Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Children; Problem for Dogs
Resistant to
Deer; Diseases; Drought; Dry Soil; Humidity; Salt
Particularly resistant to
This plant is somewhat resistant to damage by deer and is moderately salt and drought tolerant.
Propagation
Stem Cutting
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Flowers; Leaves; Roots; Sap/Juice; Stems
Poison symptoms
Ingestion of the plant can cause mouth and stomach irritation for humans and pets. Contact with the sap and leaves can cause redness and skin irritation in humans and pets.