The process by which plants purify air toxins is known as phytoremediation. This shows that Purple Heart has the potential to hold significant health benefits for people when used as an indoor house plant. VOCs are toxic compounds released by many common household fixtures, including paint. According to a study involving twenty-eight different plant species, Purple Heart was shown to be the most effective at removing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from indoor air. Purple Heart is unique in that it is an effective air-purifying plant.

It is often considered invasive in many areas. The wild variety of Purple Heart is native to the Gulf region of Eastern Mexico, although the plant is found in most temperate geographic locations due to heavy use in landscaping. Purple Heart is classified as an evergreen perinneal. The flower is small, three-petaled, and pale lavender or pink in color. It has distinctive lance-shaped, dark purple pigmented leaves. They'll root easily in moist potting mix.Purple heart is a common type of spiderwort that is well known in landscaping use, especially for ground cover. Propagation: Take 4 in (10 cm) stem tip cuttings in spring or early summer. Soil: Peat moss-based potting mix, such as African violet potting mix is ideal.įertilizer: Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced (such as 10-10-10 NPK) water-soluble fertilizer. Keep out of drafts from doorways and away from heat/AC vents. Purple heart tolerates varying temperatures with a minimum of 50☏/10☌ in winter. Temperature: Average to warm room temperatures (65-80☏/18-27☌) suit this plant year-round. Check out these easy ways to add humidity around your houseplants. Brown leaf tips are a symptom of dry air.

Humidity: Average room (around 40% relative humidity). Limp, wilted stems may be a sign of root rot cut off entire stem at the soil level. Water less in winter when growth is slower. Water: Water thoroughly, then allow the top 1 in (2.5 cm) to dry out between waterings. Long spaces between leaves indicate Tradescantia pallida needs more sunlight. Some direct sun is fine, but keep your plant shaded from strong summer sun.

Light: Bright light is needed to maintain the dark purple color. Height: Stems grow upright, then eventually trail over the side of the pot, up to 2 ft (60 cm) long. pallida is also known as Setcreasea purpurea and is sometimes sold under that name. I put pebbles in the bottom of cachepots to keep the pot above the drainage water. Want to use a decorative planter without drainage holes? Use it as a cachepot - just slip a plain nursery pot into the cachepot. Use a pot with drainage holes to prevent soggy soil, which leads to root rot. Repot in spring, when you see roots growing through the drainage holes. Move up to a pot only 1 or 2 inches (2.5 - 5 cm) larger to give it a little room to grow. If your plant becomes straggly with long gaps between leaves, don't be afraid to prune stems back to about 6 in (15 cm) long. Don't toss out those cuttings - you can easily propagate them for more plants. Pinch your plant. Pinching off new stem tips will promote branching and keep Tradescantia pallida compact. Give it some direct sun, but shade it from hot, noonday sun in summer to avoid scorching its leaves. It will grow in lower light, but the leaves will be more green than purple. Let the sun shine in. Grow your plant in bright light year-round for good foliage color. Also check the soil every couple days so that it doesn't dry out. But if you move it outdoors for the summer, keep it shaded from direct sun during the hottest part of the day. You can keep your plant indoors year-round. They grow in the leaf axils, making a stunning contrast to the dark foliage. In summer, you can expect small, pink 3-petaled flowers to bloom. It's a good idea to place Purple Heart Plant where you won't brush against it. You'll want to handle this plant carefully its fleshy stems are brittle and may break off. Or hang it in a basket and let the long, sprawling stems cascade over the side. Pot Purple Heart Plant in a small decorative container for an eye-catching table accent. Bunches of rich purple, lance-shaped leaves make this a beautiful house plant year-round.

Purple heart plant wandering jew