Tradescantia pallida
Description Purple heart is a long-jointed sprawling groundcover plant with succulent stems and pointed leaves. The leaves are about 1 in (2.5.cm) wide and 3-5 in (7.6-12.7 cm) long. The stems and upper surfaces of the leaves are a deep royal purple that becomes suffused with a faint dusty turquoise-gunmetal undertone as the foliage grows older. The undersides of the leaves are an even more vivid violet that shades towards pink where the petioles clasp and encircle the stem. Pale orchid-pink 0.5-0.75 in (1.3-1.9 cm) three-petaled flowers emerge from curving double bracts at the stem tips. Purple heart blooms constantly during warm weather, but the flowers are open only in the morning. Location The wild form of Tradescantia pallida (also seen in the literature as Setcreasea pallida ) grows in eastern Mexico from Tamaulipas to Yucatan. Culture Rich sandy soils seem to suit it best, but purple heart performs well on coral rock soils too. Light: Purple heart grows mos...