Tradescantia pallida
Tradescantia pallida (Purple Heart) Care Guide
Featured phototradescantia-pallida.jpgTradescantia pallida is the purple heart, a Mexican tradescantia with bold deep-purple lance-shaped leaves and small pink flowers. It is one of the most striking foliage colours in the genus and tolerates direct sun better than green-leaved tradescantias. Indoors and in warm gardens it makes a vivid coloured trailing or ground-cover plant.
Care facts at a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Water when the top 2 cm of mix has dried.
- Humidity
- 40–60 %
- Temperature
- 16–29 °C
- Soil
- Standard well-draining houseplant mix with perlite.
- Toxicity
- Mildly irritating. Sap can cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals. (humans) · Mildly toxic to cats and dogs per ASPCA — sap is irritating. (pets)
- Origin
- Eastern Mexico.
- Mature size
- Trailing or upright stems to 30 to 45 cm long.
Overview
Tradescantia pallida was previously named Setcreasea pallida and is widely planted as a sun-tolerant ground cover in warm climates. The deep purple colour intensifies in bright light and fades to dull green-purple in shade.
Care Priorities
- More direct sun than other tradescantias — a few hours of midday sun deepens the purple.
- Pinch back regularly to keep the plant dense.
- Water on the dry side; the slightly succulent stems tolerate brief drought.
- Take cuttings as insurance every 6 to 12 months.
Common Problems
Pale, washed-out leaves are too little light. Yellowing is overwatering. Long bare stems are old age and a signal to refresh from cuttings.
Sources & further reading (3)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-04-28
- botanical-garden — accessed 2026-04-28
- toxicity-database — accessed 2026-04-28
Frequently asked questions
Why is my purple heart going green?
Purple pigment intensifies in bright light. Plants in deep shade lose much of the colour and look dull green-purple.
Can it tolerate full sun?
Yes — purple heart is one of the more sun-tolerant tradescantias and develops the deepest colour in bright light.
Why are the leaves dropping at the base?
Lower-leaf drop is normal as stems mature. Pinch back to encourage branching from the base.
