Purple Heart – Desert Horizon Nursery

Purple Heart

Tradescantia pallida 'Purpurea'
Categories:
Groundcovers  ·  
Ground Covers
Light
Full sun (afternoon shade in low desert)
Water
Low to moderate water once established. Water deeply, then let the upper few inches of soil dry. Water more frequently during extreme summer heat and in containers; reduce watering in winter.
Size
1-1.5 ft tall × 2-3 ft wide
Habit
Groundcover – trailing
Toxicity
Sap / Skin Irritant
Description
Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’, formerly Setcreasea pallida) is a tender perennial with elongated purple leaves and fleshy, trailing stems.
Bloom Time
Spring through fall
Deciduous / Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Special Features
Colorful Foliage, Drought Tolerant, Heat Tolerant
Growth Rate
Fast
Growth Habit
Groundcover – trailing
Mature Size
1-1.5 ft tall × 2-3 ft wide
Flower Color
Pink to lavender
Foliage Color
Deep purple
Landscape Use
Border / Bed, Container / Patio, Groundcover, Trellis / Arbor / Wall
Garden Style
Container / Patio
Soil
Amended / Rich, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Bulbine, Dwarf red yucca, Society garlic, Trailing lantana
Sap / Skin Irritant
Sap causes skin and mouth irritation in pets and humans.
Care Instructions

Light: Morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal in Phoenix. Strong light enhances purple color; intense afternoon sun can scorch foliage, especially in reflected heat.

Water: Low to moderate water once established. Water deeply, then let the upper few inches of soil dry. Water more frequently during extreme summer heat and in containers; reduce watering in winter.

Soil: Well-drained soil; tolerates sandy or gravelly soil. Add modest organic matter where soil is poor, and avoid soggy conditions.

Mature size: 12–18 inches tall and 2–3 feet wide, spreading farther where stems root.

Bloom: Small flowers appear intermittently from spring through fall in warm weather.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen in frost-free locations; frost can kill foliage and stems, with regrowth from surviving roots in spring.

Growth rate: Fast during warm weather with adequate moisture.