Purple Secretia (Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Heart’)

Moses in the Basket, Purple Heart, Purple Queen, Purple Spiderwort

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Purple Heart plant or also known as Tradescantia Pallida (purple secretia), is an easy-to-grow evergreen perennial that can add striking color and contrast to just any living space.

Furthermore, since this succulent has an aggressive root system that helps it spread quickly, it is a great plant for cascading over pots, walls, groundcover, or even in hanging baskets, and as well as for mixed plantings in large containers due to its rich color.

I. Appearance and Characteristics

Tradescantia pallida is a species of spiderwort native to the Gulf Coast region of eastern Mexico. The cultivar T. pallida ‘Purpurea’ is commonly called purple secretia, purple-heart, or purple queen. Edward Palmer collected the type specimen near Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas in 1907.

Tradescantia pallida is an evergreen perennial plant of a scrambling, climbing growth habit and vine-like stature. Small aerial roots will form along the stem, which root the vine further in-place and give greater stamina to the overall plant body. It is distinguished by vivid purple, elongated and slightly pointed leaves—generally a glaucous green, turning more vividly purple in full sunlight and times of drought—and bearing small, three-petaled flowers of white, pink or purple.

Purple Secretia (Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart')

Plants are susceptible to overwatering, moderate frosts, or any temperature below about 40°F (4.44°C); in times of cold-induced seasonal die-back, the root ball will remain sheltered underground, eventually sprouting again from the base. In the coldest of regions, deadheading, fall pruning, mulching and placing the root ball just slightly higher than the planting hole—to ensure that pooling water beneath the roots is not a threat—are all key to the plant surviving cold and/or wet conditions.

The cultivar T. pallida ‘Purpurea’ has purple leaves and pink flowers.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

Planting your purple hearts in full sun can help ensure that they grow the vibrant purple stems. The plant can also grow in partial shade, but its stem is more likely to appear green than purple.

It’s best to introduce these plants to brighter conditions over time, however, as too much direct sunlight all at once can lead to foliage burn.

Temperature and Humidity

Purple heart can survive in an array of temperatures, but it’s susceptible to frost. As a plant that grows naturally in tropical and subtropical locations, purple heart prefers high humidity. If your house has drier air, a humidifier can help, as can placing your plant in a bathroom or kitchen. Dry air will impact the leaves, rendering them limp.

Purple Secretia (Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart')
Purple heart bloom (Tradescantia pallida)
HockeyholicAZ
CC BY 2.0

Watering

Due to its ability to survive long periods of drought, watering Purple Heart requires no effort at all! However, it is still best not to let this succulent sit in dry conditions for too long, especially if you want it to develop some strong, thick stems and leaves.

In general, whether you are growing your purple heart indoors or outdoors, thoroughly water it at least once every 7 to 10 days, especially during its blooming season in the Summer months. In the cold winter season, Purple Heart will enter its dormancy period, so make sure to give it just enough water to keep it healthy. Once every 3 weeks should do the job.

One way to tell whether it’s time to give your Purple Heart a good drink of water or not is to check if the top 1 to 2-inches of the soil is already dry to the touch or not. If it is, then it’s time to give it a thorough watering. Otherwise, don’t water. To do this, you can either use a moisture stick to check or simply stick your index finger into the soil.

Soil

If you choose to grow your Purple Heart in pots or containers, make sure to use one that has drainage holes on the bottom, and fill it with soil that offers adequate water retention and as well as good drainage. You can either use a regular garden soil mixed with organic substance, such as peat moss, perlite, or compost to improve its quality, or a ready-made succulent or cactus soil mix.

You can also grow your Purple Heart in a pot or container without drainage holes. However, this would require you to give the plant more attention to prevent any problems, like root rot. You can check out our “How to grow and care for succulents in no-drainage pot” article to learn more.

Fertilizing

The purple heart plant generally doesn’t require fertilizer, although it can be used. Just be sure to dilute the solution to about half of its regular strength.

Purple Secretia (Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart')
Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Heart’
CC BY-SA 4.0

Pruning

The plant grows long stems, and due to its fast growth rate, it can become leggy and spindly very quickly. You’ll want to prune it during the warmer months after the bloom period is over. Be sure to use sharp scissors and wear gloves, as the sap in the stems can cause skin irritations and burns. Aim to take off the top half of the stems that have become overgrown.

Propagation

Purple heart can be easily propagated by stem cuttings.

  • Cut a 3- to 6-inch-long piece from a healthy plant, using a sharp knife or pruners. The piece needs to have at least one growth node.
  • Remove the leaves from the lower end of the cutting so that only a couple of leaves remain on the upper parts. You can dip the cut end of the stem in rooting hormone but because purple heart roots easily, that’s not absolutely necessary (alternatively, you can also root the cutting in water and plant it in a potting medium when you see roots).
  • Fill a 4-inch pot with soilless potting medium and water it slowly until evenly moist.
  • Using a pencil or a stick, poke a hole in the soil and insert the cutting in it so that the node is buried in the soil. Gently press down the soil around it.
  • Place it in a bright location but out of direct sunlight. Water it regularly to keep the soil evenly moist at all times. After a few weeks, the cutting will root and you can transplant it into a larger pot or outdoors in garden soil.

Potting and Repotting

Though most commercial potting mixes will work just fine, the soil should ideally include peat moss (or coco coir, for a sustainable alternative), perlite, and compost. Make sure that there are drainage holes on the bottom of the container or pot, as too much water retained by the soil can lead to root rot.

Since this plant generally does not grow to be that large, it’s commonly kept as a houseplant. It won’t require frequent repotting, but it will need to be transferred to a new container if the roots begin to push through the drainage holes located on the underside of the pot. This will typically occur during spring due to its tendency to spread out during the growing season.

Overwintering

Purple heart plants can survive cold weather, but frost typically kills the tops of the plant. Fortunately, it will sprout again from its roots when spring returns.

Purple Secretia (Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart')
Tradescantia Pallida ‘Purpurea’
Skakerman (Archive)
CC BY 2.0

Nurturing purple heart plants as a houseplant is also a great option if you want to avoid them dying over the winter. It will thrive in an indoor environment. Purple heart plants are lovely to look at and have nearby, but they also help to improve air quality by filtering pollutants and respiratory irritants.

If you live in an area with temperatures that reach below 40°F, then bring plants indoors to prevent cold damage.

Pests and Diseases

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Deer usually ignore these plants. However, a few pests love to make purple heart plants their home. Look for leaf beetles, scales, mealybugs, aphids, vine weevils, caterpillars, slugs, and snails. Small holes may appear on the foliage if a pest infestation occurs, but soapy water or an insecticide can help if the issue persists.

Root rot is a common disease that occurs when the plant has poor soil drainage or a lack of oxygen. This fungal disease can also spread through the soil. Use sterilized pruning shears to remove infected areas or move plants to a new location with soil that is not contaminated.

Common Problems

Purple Secretia (Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart')
Purple heart flower 2
LunarLight
CC BY-SA 4.0

Purple heart plants are relatively hardy, but issues such as overwatering, improper sun exposure, or soil nutrient imbalance can cause issues. Here’s what to know when caring for the purple heart plant:

  • Leaves Turning Yellow

Yellowing leaves often signify overwatering. Overwatering can also cause a nutrient imbalance in the soil, so wait until the top few inches of soil are dry and ensure plenty of drainage holes in containers. Older plants might experience yellowing leaves because of age, but this is natural.

  • Leaves Turning Black/Brown

Similar to yellow leaves, brown leaves are systematic of old age in plants. Purple heart plants have foliage that turns brown when it lacks moisture or humidity. Additionally, leaves turn brown when overexposed to sunlight. If growing plants indoors, use a humidifier or move the plant into the bathroom when showering to help encourage humidity.

III. Uses and Benefits

Purple Secretia (Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart')
Purple heart 2
arsacampKOSENKMUTT2
CC BY-SA 4.0

Purple heart can be used as a ground cover, cascading in baskets, as a trailer in mixed containers or as a houseplant. They are best used in masses for in-ground plantings and will spread relatively quickly. The purple leaves are a nice contrast to gold, chartreuse, or variegated foliage, and a great complement to pink, light purple, or burgundy blossoms on other plants. Pair it with complementary colors for bold combinations – chartreuse coleus, orange marigolds or red begonias.

Purple Secretia (Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Heart’) Details

Common name

Moses in the Basket, Purple Heart, Purple Queen, Purple Spiderwort

Botanical name

Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart'

Family

Commelinaceae

Species

pallida

Origin

Mexico

Life cycle

Plant type

Hardiness zone

, , , ,

Sunlight

Maintenance

Soil condition

Soil ph

Drainage

Growth rate

Spacing

Less than 12 in.

Flowering period

Height

1 ft. – 2 ft.

Width

1 ft. – 2 ft.

Flower color

Leaf color

,

Stem color

Purple, Lavender

Leaf benefit

Flower benefit

Garden style

Uses

Dimensions
Dimensions 63630675053 × 63630675017 cm
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