It gets its common name from the delicate heart-shaped blossoms. Other common names include Purple Queen Plant and Purple Inch Plant. Rodales Successful Organic Gardening: Houseplants and Container Gardens. Also known as tradescantia pallida but commonly known as Purple Heart and Purple Queen. Aphids are tiny sap-sucking insects that tend to set up camp on the undersides of foliage. Purple queen is in the spiderwort family and provides stunning purple foliage and delicate attractive flowers. You can unsubscribe at any time. However, for best colour development, grow your purple queen plant in full sun. The leaves of these plants are fleshy, feeling almost like the leaves of succulents. Purple hearts are very easy to propagate with a stem cutting taken from any part of the plant. You can plant more than one cutting as long as they dont overlap. Avoid purchasing specimens with signs of disease or pests. Place the cuttings in a bright place, but not under direct sunlight as this may prevent them from rooting. in a glass container filled with lukewarm water. As the host plant for the Gulf Fritillary butterfly, . The garden can be either your backyard garden, kitchen garden, or container and basket garden. Its also proven to survive freezes and comes back strong in the Spring! An inexpensive moisture gauge will help you get it just right. Is the purple heart plant indoor or outdoor? In addition to the purple foliage, it also produces small pink flowers. You can also boost your soil fertility by adding the recommended fertilizer. You can make your own insecticidal spray with 1 teaspoon of gentle liquid soap and 1 liter of water. Spiderworts can be grown from purchased plants or propagated through division, cuttings, or seed. Historically, the term wandering Jew referred to a folk figure, a Jewish man who had insulted Jesus (who was, Id like to point out, also Jewish) on his route to be crucified. Treat them immediately with rubbing alcohol, neem oil, or an insecticidal soap for best results. They need full sun, or 8+ hours of bright light indoors every day in order to maintain the deep purple color. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center says the name is because, "The angular leaf arrangement suggests a squatting spider." . First, Purple Heart is a cultivated variety of T. pallida, a species native to Mexico. Indoors, keep them evenly moist, and always drain off the excess to avoid overwatering. The cultivar T. pallida 'Purpurea' is commonly called purple secretia, purple-heart, [2] or purple queen. These are mostly green but highly fringed with the shades of purple or red. In addition to T. virginiana, this genus includes many species that are native to the US, but those that are used as houseplants originate in tropical areas of Central and South America. But you may also be able to find the much more rare variegated purple heart, which features pink striping along the leaves. And although theyre fairly adaptable, these spiderwort species do have preferred care routines so Ill fill you in on the best way to keep them looking gorgeous, and meanwhile, our inch plants can keep busy filling our homes with new foliage. Allow the soil to drain entirely and wait until the top few inches of soil are dry. Neem is also a fungicide and will take care of any fungal issues that may arise as well. But Ive told you once, and Ill tell you again these plants, though well behaved in a pot, can quickly become unruly when planted in the ground, and in some regions are considered invasive. Before using them, do thorough research. Mature Spread 12 - 24 Inches. This is done by placing the cuttings in a glass container filled with lukewarm water. It has lovely purple leaves that are long and oval. For me, that means shifting to watering every ten days instead of every week. The other story is that Tradescant the Younger collected it himself during a voyage to Virginia in 1629, and brought it back to England. And as with succulents, those fleshy leaves indicate spiderwort's ability to store water. Water when the top one to two inches of soil are dry. Tradescantia Purpureas make an outstanding addition to any plant collection. Fertilizing your purple queen plant will incredibly boost its growth. Every plant has its suggested way of spacingthat information you can find that information on the label of your plant pack. Or if you havent yet added vermicomposting to your skill set, you can purchase ready-made earthworm tea packets from the Earthworm Technologies Store, available via Amazon. Tradescantia pallida require little care once theyre established. Use your hand to firm the soil down, or you can also firm the ground by using your foot. Purple heart plants (aka purple queen) are easy to care for, and can grow both indoors or outside. All content found on this website is copyrighted materials and any form of reproduction is strictly prohibited. Undoubtedly, if you follow the above steps of caring for your purple queen plant, you will have an excellent plant that brings joy to your home and garden at all times and seasons, including holiday seasons. Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart' (Purple Spiderwort) - This popular trailing house plant is also a pretty durable groundcover or accent plant to about 18 inches tall in the garden. Grow as an annual low maintenance groundcover in cold winter climates or as a perennial groundcover that is root hardy in zones 8 or warmer. To ensure that your plant will have nicely coloured foliage, its highly recommended to give it plenty of bright light. Additionally, leaves turn brown when overexposed to sunlight. Tradescantia Purpurea loves to get a little sun but it needs some shade during hot summer days, especially at noon. Indoors, a good quality general potting soil will work. You may want to relegate them to houseplant status where you can make sure they dont get out of hand. Use these tips to keep yours thriving year after year. You might also try simply wiping them away with a damp paper towel. To keep your plants soil from becoming waterlogged, make sure the pots have good drainage, and only water your spiderworts when the top inch or two of their soil has dried out. Thanks for this in depth informative article. You can read more about what type of lamps to use for your plants in our dedicated article on grow lights for indoor gardening. It is also widely commercialized as a houseplant. deep and 8 to 12 inches (20.5-30.5 cm.) To avoid this, you need to prune them once you notice they are overgrown. Plant them in spring about 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm.) Once you get your package, remove it with great care to avoid breaking its stems. In warm enough climates theyre used as ground cover, but can also trail over walls, large containers, or hanging baskets. When well-intentioned plant parents give their houseplants a little too much love (i.e. Purple heart plants can survive cold weather, but frost typically kills the tops of the plant. If you want to be successful maintaining any indoor plant that you want, then you need a copy of my Winter Houseplant Care eBook. Add manure or garden compost to your soil and mix it well until the ground becomes loose. In this reference book, authors Michael E. Peterson, DVM, and Patricia A Talcott, DVM, categorize Tradescantia species as possible pet-friendly alternatives, conveying that no incriminating data against these species has been found. Instead, you could give him a spikey coif by keeping his vines trimmed back and start new plants with these cuttings. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Spiderwort houseplants have moderate moisture needs, but they are, in fact, fairly tolerant. You may be more familiar with another common name for these houseplants wandering Jew.. Easygoing inch plant does not often succumb to disease. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. My green thumb comes from my parents, and I've been gardening for most of my life. it's a very low maintenance plant and easy to grow.. Queen's Spiderwort is a tropical perennial plant native to wet, tropical regions of Columbia and Peru with showy purple flowers that bloom from summer into fall and dark green evergreen leaves. Tradescantia pallida is a species of spiderwort (a genus of New World plants) more commonly known as wandering jew or walking jew, a name it shares with the closely related species T. fluminensis and T. zebrina. On the other hand, growing a purple heart in full sun will help it develop a bright purple color. Earthworm Compost Tea Organic Houseplant Fertilizer. Healthy purple hearts are generally pest free, but occasionally you may encounter an issue. This will help the roots spread into their new soil. Purple heart plants thrive in humid climates, so if growing as a houseplant, use a humidifier to mimic tropical conditions. Purple heart, purple spiderwort, purple queen plant, wandering jew purple heart, and sometimes "Moses-in-the-basket" refer to Tradescantia pallida. I have a Tradescantia pallida and it appears to be shedding for lack of a better word. The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours). Rubbing alcohol can also be used to remove aphids, mealybugs, and scale, but it should be tested on a single leaf before trying wider application, as it can burn the leaves on these plants. Like aphids, they can sicken your spiderwort by stealing its nutrients and a serious infestation can kill your houseplant. My spiderworts grew faster in full sun, but they also seem to be tolerating their current northeast exposure without any signs of stress. The purple heart plant (Tradescantia pallida), also known as purple secretia or purple queen, is a spiderwort that grows quickly and has dark purple leaves and long purple stems. Its best kept inside if it gets below 40F, but can be outdoors in warmer climates all year long. Its purple leaves are long and oval-shaped, producing small purple flowers in summer. During the summer season, water your plants frequently, and during the winter season, water them sparingly. Moreover, during the summer months, it produces small purple flowers. This fungal disease can also spread through the soil. Like I have said in watering, fertilize regularly during the spring season and decrease it during winter. Many years ago I had something of an indoor jungle my home was filled with houseplants. To make sure you provide them with the best possible growing conditions, Im going to provide you with some tips for caring for these tropical beauties. Propagation in water works very well for a thick-stemmed plant as Tradescantia Purpurea. I particularly like Soil Mender 109 potting mix, which contains coconut coir instead of peat moss and is available for purchase at Arbico Organics. If the plant has become root bound, gently loosen up the outer layer of roots. However, as allTradescantiaplants are toxic topeopleandpets, be mindful of where you grow this trailing plantjuice from the leaves or stems can cause skin irritation for some people and even some dogs. Christia Obcordata Guide: How to Grow & Care for Butterfly Plant, ZZ Plants Guide: How to Grow & Care for Zamioculcas zamiifolia, Calamagrostis Guide: How to Grow & Care for Reed Grass, Schefflera Amate Guide: How to Grow & Care for Dwarf Umbrella Tree, Dracaena Reflexa Guide: How to Grow & Care for Song of India, 5 cuttings (stems) that you plant and become a new plant. For a fuller-looking specimen, pinching or cutting back vines will help to encourage bushier growth. If you don't trim the plant back, it will have a more trailing habit. Both were English naturalists, gardeners, and travelers who worked for British monarch King Charles I as landscape designers. However, its always good to know what to be on the lookout for. Thats one of the reasons these plants can so easily become invasive when grown outdoors. Seedlings for the purple heart plant can sometimes be challenging to come by. You can apply the soak and dry technique and rewater the plant when you notice that the top 1 inch (2.5cm) of soil is dry. A fast-growing member of the spiderwort family with dark purple leaves and long purple stems is the purple heart plant (Tradescantia pallida), also known as purple secretia or purple queen. This plant is easy to grow and maintain. Find locations near you that offer Proven Winners products. Purple Queen Purple Heart Purple Secretia. Purple heart plants will grow best in a light, loamy soil that has good drainage. Pinch off new stems as they form to encourage branching in the spring, or use sharp pruners to give it a hard trim after flowering has finished. It will teach you all you need to know in order to be successful growing houseplants year round. When the roots are a few inches long, plant the cuttings in a pot filled with a light commercial potting soil. If you buy from one of our links,we may earn a commission. Purple queen plants are so adorable. Beyond the purple heart plant, other Tradescantiaspecies are also widespread. Youll find silvery inch plant in a two-and-a-half-inch pot from Hirts Gardens via Walmart. Tradescantia pallida is a perennial in zones 8-11. You can trim periodically as needed. Find plants you love and create idea boards for all your projects. It can also be helpful to lift your inch plants pot to check it for dryness. It works well in both sun and shade and can function as a unifying element to give sun and shade plantings a common plant. Brown leaves are also a common symptom of age, but could also be lack of moisture or low humidity. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. These are general tips that work for most Tradescantia species grown as houseplants, but always be sure to double check specific growing information for your chosen species as there may be slight differences in requirements. Grown for its captivating purple foliage, the Setcreasea Purple Queen is an evergreen spiderwort variety that can provide excellent landscape contrast to your yard or garden. It is best to water your Tradescantia Purpurea plants thoroughly. You can trim up to half the total size, which will result in more compact growth through the summer. By clicking the button you are agreeing to receive our email newsletter. Your email address will not be published. At maturity, it will reach a height of 1 foot. In addition to keeping tropical Tradescantia species as houseplants, these can also be grown outdoors as annuals, or as perennials in USDA Hardiness Zones 7b-12a, depending on the species. It is a widely commercialized genus, important in the nursery and landscape trade. If you're feeling put off of this plant because of its name- don't worry! They will not usually respond too poorly if you overwater them once in a blue moon, and they also have some built-in resistance to being underwatered, thanks to their fleshy leaves. Pretty, purple, and practically indestructible. All Rights Reserved. To grow happy and healthy, Tradescantia Purpurea plants need regular watering and plenty of natural light. Find more tips on identifying and controlling mealybugs here. The lance-shaped leaves can reach up to 7 long on delicate, thin stems. After developing some roots, use the procedure discussed above to grow your plants and plant your purple queen plant. However yellow leaves can also be caused by severe lack of light, too little water, or inadequate nutrients. Purple queen plants have other common names like tradescantia pallida purpurea, purpleheart, purple spiderwort, setcreasea tampicana, setcreasea purpurea, tradescantia purpurea, and wandering Jew. If you fail to prune them, they will become leggy, shaggy and they will cover up your room in an inappropriate way. Attractive and durable, these beautiful house plants will bring joy to your garden year-round with their rich purple stems and lance-shaped leaves. The other common name is purple queen due to the color that makes up the stems, leaves, and flowers. After roots emerge, transplant new growth to its final location. The species Tradescantia pallida was collected first in 1907 in Tamaulipas, Mexico by E. Palmer, a leading botanist of his time. How do you do this? In the winter theyll need much less. Find a good watering schedule and stick to it. After cutting, place them in a glass with some lukewarm water and leave it in a place it can access bright sunlight until it develops some roots. The best location to grow purple queen plants is somewhere that will provide lots of sun. Some species are variegated, while others are solid green or solid purple in color. You can use the freshly removed tips to propagate the plant, so dont throw them away. Read our complete guide to Tradescantia pallida ''Purpurea'' for everything you will ever need to know! If you have small children or pets, please keep these houseplants out of reach, just to be safe. Extreme heat and direct sun can scorch its leaves. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. One story is that T. virginiana was brought to Tradescant the Elder as a specimen from an expedition to the Americas that he organized. If growing plants indoors, use a humidifier or move the plant into the bathroom when showering to help encourage humidity. Because of these species ability to grow such long vines, the wandering part of this nickname also seems fitting. And if you are reluctant to take any chances with your curious kids or fur babies, consider choosing a confirmed nontoxic houseplant instead. Spiderwort is characterized by a grass-like form with long, strappy leaves similar to lilies that grow up to three feet in height each season. Purple heart is native to the Gulf Coast region of Mexico and can grow to heights of one and a half feet tall and wide. Inch plants are incredibly easy to propagate from cuttings. They are great for hanging pots or as groundcovers and can add a lush texture and a tropical atmosphere to any garden, be it indoor or outdoor. However, if you consult the third edition of Small Animal Toxicology, available on Amazon, youll find a different take on these species. In full sun or heat waves theyll need more frequent watering. In the landscape, the plant has an upright, branching . 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Water, or seed will grow best in a pot filled with a damp towel. For all your projects for the Gulf Fritillary butterfly, may earn a commission, consider choosing confirmed! Paper towel to keep yours thriving year after year ; t worry fleshy, almost... In full sun, but they are, in fact, fairly tolerant make your own insecticidal spray with teaspoon. Growth through the soil down, or you can read more about what type of lamps to use your... When showering to help you get it just right had something of an indoor jungle my home was with! All your projects information on the other hand, growing a purple heart thrive. Their houseplants a little too much love ( i.e soil is too fertile, add sand... If it gets below 40F, but occasionally you may also be helpful to lift your inch plants are easy. Stem cutting taken from any part of this nickname also seems fitting soil will work soil fertility by adding recommended... Are a few inches long, plant the cuttings in a pot filled with lukewarm water other Tradescantiaspecies also!
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