Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When keeping houseplants, its important to start with a healthy specimen. The purple heart plant has a quick growth rate, so pruning often will prevent the plant from getting too spindly or leggy. The newly rooted plant needs to be watered as soon as the top layer of soil feels dry. Humidity is not often an issue outdoors, but if your indoor purple queen plant has limp or brown dried leaves, it may need more. Once you see your plants roots become dark and slimy, know that the roots are rotten and reacting badly to overwatering. And to me at least, these seem to grow an inch per day another possible inspiration for this name! Use sterilized pruning shears to remove infected areas or move plants to a new location with soil that is not contaminated. Small, tri-colored pink blooms come and go quickly throughout the summer, but you'll want this superb mixer for its distinctive foliage form and color. But heres the skinny; you want to grow some purple queen plants at your home, but you have absolutely no experience with them. As they feed, they excrete honeydew, a sticky substance that can provide a foothold for sooty mold. Oxygen starved roots can rot, preventing the foliage from receiving the water it needs. Tradescantia pallida is a perennial in zones 8-11. Some of these links may be affiliate in nature, meaning we earn small commissions if items are purchased. 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. They will eventually fall, leaving the calyces. Grow to approximately 1' in height and are great for ground cover or in pots. Stems are notoriously fragile and can break off very easily. Use these tips to keep yours thriving year after year. When the top few inches of soil are dry, water deeply to encourage hardier roots, but avoid making it sodden. I know Im enjoying the masses of lovely vegetation this plant provides me, and the easy opportunities to create even more houseplants. However, a few pests love to make purple heart plants their home. Give it a hard prune to rejuvenate it. Learn more about how to manage aphids in this guide. Indoors, mealybugs and scale are more likely. Check the soil regularly to ensure its not too dry, and use a humidifier or pebble tray indoors if needed. All Rights Reserved. Earthworm Compost Tea Organic Houseplant Fertilizer. According to Richard G. Hawks, Plant Evaluations Manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden, the common name spiderwort was most likely inspired by the web-like threads that form from the plants sap and harden after stems are severed. This may be adventatgeous if you are using 'Purple Queen' in a container recipe as it will allow the plant to mix more easily with the other plants and to trail longer over the edge of patio planters and hanging baskets. Though fertilizing a purple queen plant is not a necessary part of their care, the occasional feeding can reinvigorate growth, enhance flowering, and make the colors more vibrant. But do not overwater it. If youd like a step-by-step guide to propagating wandering dude from cuttings, check out our guide to spiderwort propagation. 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. This delicate plant breaks easily, so choose a three-to-six-inch branch and cut it with a sharp knife or scissors below the leaf node. Pretty, purple, and practically indestructible. Why Does My Wandering Jew Have Brown Leaves & How To Fix It, How To Care For Heart Leaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum), How To Care For A Philodendron Birkin Plant, How To Care For A Pink Princess Philodendron, The Best Indoor Houseplant Supplies, Tools & Equipment, How To Care For Umbrella Tree Plant (Schefflera arboricola), What To Do With An Amaryllis After It Blooms, Terms Of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy, Allow soil to dry slightly, do not overwater. Set them on a pebble tray or run a small humidifier nearby to increase the humidity in your home. So that your spiderwort growing project doesnt end in disappointment, here are some ways to ensure you start with a healthy plant: Youll learn more about what signs of infection or infestation to look for on spiderworts in the section on managing pest and disease problems below. Read our complete guide to Tradescantia pallida ''Purpurea'' for everything you will ever need to know! However yellow leaves can also be caused by severe lack of light, too little water, or inadequate nutrients. When you notice that your plants leaves are turning green, know that your plant isnt getting enough sunlight. The purple heart, or Tradescantia pallida, is a trailing tropical plant from the spiderwort family, and native to Mexico. This species sports green and purple leaves with silver stripes on the leaf uppers, and maroon undersides. I still have this growing in a pot on my kitchen table!! Make sure its receiving full sun, or intense indoor light for 8+ hours a day. This plant propagates quickly from any part of the plant by placing it in adaptable soil or water. Keep it somewhere warm and bright for 1-2 weeks. Purple heart plants are relatively hardy, but issues such as overwatering, improper sun exposure, or soil nutrient imbalance can cause issues. Like I have said in watering, fertilize regularly during the spring season and decrease it during winter. That common name is on the out as far as this writer and this publication goes. Insignificant 3-petaled deep pink flowers last for only a day but bloom continuously on the stiff stems above the foliage for several weeks in spring. It has lovely purple leaves that are long and oval. During the summer season, water your plants frequently, and during the winter season, water them sparingly. The plant can grow in the shade or indoors in places with low levels of light, but the foliage will remain green instead of purple. If you dont have much natural light available, either because of the orientation of your home or because you live in a climate where you frequently experience cloudy weather, such as the Pacific Northwest, you may want to consider supplementing with a grow light. Spiderwort is not an especially alluring name, and different sources give varying reasons for this plant's unusual common name. Foliage will die back to ground level once temperatures begin falling below freezing. First, Purple Heart is a cultivated variety of T. pallida, a species native to Mexico. And as with succulents, those fleshy leaves indicate spiderwort's ability to store water. Be sure to check individual cultivars for information about recommended growing zones. 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. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone before placing it in damp soil, or put it in a vase of water. This plant is surprisingly drought tolerant for such a tropical looking variety, but it also thrives with regular watering so it is easy to pair with many other types of medium vigor annuals in both sun and shade. Stories of the wandering Jew folk figure span the centuries and while not all of these stories were purely negative, the legend itself is rooted in negative stereotypes. Its got some new healthy looking growth. Kristina Hicks-Hamblin lives on a dryland permaculture homestead in the high desert of Utah. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Mature Spread 12 - 24 Inches. This plant is the best selection for planting in an outdoor container and hanging baskets. Scale can appear on either leaves or stems and can cause leaves to turn yellow. Read our privacy policy for the full story on how we protect and manage your submitted data. It is widely commercialized as a house plant and for outdoor gardens. Keep on reading to know more. However, there are no rules that state that you must let your wandering dude grow long tresses. You dont need to water the plant because the plastic will keep all the moisture in. Control them by hand picking, or spreading a diatomaceous earth barrier around the base. This striking appearance makes it perfect for everyday use as an ornamental plant in gardens and along borders or driveways. Also, make sure you leave your soil even with the surrounding soil. Purple heart plants have foliage that turns brown when it lacks moisture or humidity. Whether you decide to grow it in a small decorative container or a hanging basket letting the long stems cascade over it you will surely obtain a lovely decorative plant. The foliage and stems of spiderworts are covered with small hairs, some species more than others. However, for best colour development, grow your purple queen plant in full sun. The purple queen plant is a species of spiderwort (a genus of new world plants) and looks like T. Zebrina. Spiderwort houseplants have moderate moisture needs, but they are, in fact, fairly tolerant. It will thrive in an indoor environment. The Proven Accents Purple Queen Spiderwort can flower for weeks on end, but it's the outstanding purple foliage that really steals the show. Toe Beans: What They Are and How to Care for Them, Purple Pansies: Facts, Growing, Caring & More, Bridal Veil Plant: Everything You Need to Know, 13 Most Beautiful Fish in the World for Your Aquarium. Indoors, a good quality general potting soil will work. If the plant has become root bound, gently loosen up the outer layer of roots. Avoid specimens with yellow leaves or large quantities of brown leaves a few brown leaves are to be expected. 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. While certainly not as fussy about relative humidity as prayer plants or orchids, a daily misting is a good idea, particularly if you live in a drier climate like I do, or if your indoor air is particularly dry during winter. After flowering finishes in the spring, cut back growth using sharp pruning shears and pinch off stems to encourage new branching. You can also subscribe without commenting. Clothes mean nothing until someone lives in them. But the roots can put out new growth when it warms up in the spring as long as the ground doesnt freeze. This can prevent the germination and establishment of other native plants. Fortunately, it will sprout again from its roots when spring returns. Related Post: Why Does My Wandering Jew Have Brown Leaves & How To Fix It. Please remember, however, that although spiderworts may seem indestructible, they dont have quite the water storage capacity of a cactus, so dont think you can get away with total neglect. 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