Tradescantia pallida Purpurea (Purple Heart)

Attractive and durable, Tradescantia pallida 'Purpurea' (Purple Heart) is a popular trailing evergreen perennial noted for its remarkable foliage of narrow, pointed, purple leaves, 2-5 in. long (5-12 cm). Arranged alternately along thick, but fragile, purple stems, the leaves are deep royal purple above, and bright violet underneath. Blooming constantly during warm weather, small clusters of bright pink, 3-petalled, pale orchid-pink flowers, 1 in. (2.5 cm), emerge at the stem tips. Tradescantia pallida is a tender perennial which makes a beautiful groundcover. Its sprawling stems root in the moist soil, to create a carpet of ground-hugging foliage. Evergreen in frost-free areas, it dies back with mild freezes, but sprouts back in spring. In colder areas, it may be grown as a bedding annual, in a container or hanging basket, or as a houseplant.

• Awarded the prestigious Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society
• Grows up to 12-18 in. tall (30-45 cm) with a similar spread.
• Easily grown in rich, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best purple leaf coloration occurs in full sun. Shelter this plant from strong winds that may break the fragile stems. Water freely in dry weather. Drought tolerant once established.
• Great for border fronts, edging, as groundcover, Mediterranean gardens, rock gardens or containers.
• Virtually disease free. Watch for aphids and vine weevils.
• Pinch back stems to encourage bushiness and rebloom.
• Propagate by softwood cuttings using stem tips in spring or summer
• Native to Mexico