Tradescantia pallida /ˌtɹædɪˈskæntiə/
Common name: Purple heart · Purple queen · Purple spiderwort
Tradescantia pallida is a trailing perennial native to the Gulf Coast region of eastern Mexico. Its succulent stems and elongated leaves are a striking deep violet-purple, and it produces small pink three-petaled flowers. The cultivar 'Purpurea' is grown worldwide as an ornamental ground cover, bedding plant, and houseplant, valued for its drought tolerance and bold foliage color.
Fun facts
- In shade the purple foliage fades toward green, so growers place it in full sun for the richest color.
- It was used in a 2015 University of Georgia study as a bioindicator plant to detect airborne mutagens and pollutants.
- Stems snap easily but root just as easily, so broken pieces can simply be stuck back in the ground.
- It dies back in frost but often resprouts from the roots in mild-winter regions.
Care summary
Sun
Full sun to partial shade; best color in sun
Water
Drought-tolerant; water sparingly once established
Soil
Well-draining, average to sandy soil
Hardiness
Zones 8–11
Mature height
About 20–40 cm (8–16 in)
Pet safe
No; sap may irritate skin and pets
Difficulty
Easy
Propagation
Stem cuttings root with almost no effort. Take a 10 cm cutting, remove the lower leaves, and place it in water or directly into moist soil; roots form within a week or two.
The Tradescantia pallida Patch
Make your own Purple heart · Purple queen · Purple spiderwort profile
Common problems
References
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