Tradescantia pallida

Tradescantia pallida is commonly know as Purple Heart and is a fantastic and colorful houseplant. Originating from Eastern Mexico, it is used as a ground cover or as a trailing plant. It can trail up to 2 feet long and is perfect for hanging baskets. The leaves are 2-5 inches long, narrow and pointed. The tops range from green to purple and the bottoms of the leaves are a rich purple color. They also have small transparent hairs along the leaves.

AKA: Purple Queen, Wandering Jew, Walking Jew, Spiderwort

Light: Tolerates low light but the leaves may turn more green. Thrives in medium to bright indirect light with some morning sun.

Watering: Allow the top 1 inch of soil to dry out before watering. Water slowly and evenly until it comes out of the drainage hole; discard excess to avoid root rot.

Humidity: Average home to high humidity. Brown tips are a sign of the air being too dry.

Toxicity: Mildly toxic to cats, dogs and humans.

Potting Medium: Rich, fast-draining, moist all-purpose soil.

Additional Care: The stems and leaves are delicate and can be broken easily. Keep in a hanging basket or somewhere it won’t get bumped. Trim to promote bushier growth or if it’s getting too leggy. Keep away from drafts.