Describing colors can be a little tricky because one person’s “red” is another person’s “orange.” So, when I’m talking about “purple houseplants,” I’m talking about those with a dark color in their leaves.
Think dark red wine, purple grapes, and sometimes almost black. Brighter colors, like fuchsia or bubblegum pink, I think of as pink plants.
I particularly love purple plants! Their leaves tend to have interesting shapes, they bring color to the house, and many have flowers that are in beautiful contrast to their dark foliage (although getting these plants to flower can be a bit tricky).
I will provide thoughtful guidance on the needs of each plant so you will know if it is an appropriate plant for your situation.
Choosing The Right Plant For Your Space
Get to know your plants. All plants are different. Some like low light while others want full sun. Some can be small, while others will grow to a large size and take up space. Some need a lot of water, some not so much.
Like Goldilocks and her porridge, to be happy and thrive all the conditions need to be juuuuust right!
So, when you consider purple plants, always think about the needs of the plant matching the location you want to put it.
Please see the following detailed information tables (in each section) outlining the requirements and guidelines for each specific plant.
Decorating With Purple Houseplants
Almost everyone has at least one plant in their house. Plants bring color and sometimes a scent to a room. Some have colorful foliage whether it be shades of pink, purple or bluish-green that can liven a space.
Purple plants bring some distinctive color and shapes to interior decor when they are placed in just the right spot.
These plants usually have a more muted appearance but they can go with just about any interior decor.
The dramatic foliage suits a more modern interior design aesthetic especially in a monochromatic room. An example is to place a Persian shield plant next to a white wall.
Think about showing purple plants alongside some bright green plants for an interesting contrast. Or do a mixture of pink plants for a pop of color.
Purple plants are also a good fit in an office too. Most offices have low-light plant conditions, so you must exercise caution when selecting plants for an office setting.
Safety Considerations For Pets And Children
At Gardenia Organic, we’re here to share information on an assortment of plants and their benefits! When bringing any plants into your home make sure you consider the safety of your pets; some plants can be toxic if ingested.
For the health of your pets (and plants!) we recommend placing your houseplants in areas less accessible to your curious fur babies.
Although we provide shortcuts and information, we also encourage you to look further into the safety of each plant and be responsible for your decisions. It is always best to supervise your pets when they are around houseplants, take reasonable steps to keep them safe, and call your veterinarian if you have any concerns.
Of course, the same precautions would apply in a home with children, as they also have a fascination with the colors and shapes of houseplants. Be mindful to keep plants out of the reach of small hands. If you’re unsure of having plants in your home, speak with your family doctor.
For the sake of your family, do your research and educate yourself as to each plant’s potential risks. Then you can enjoy your greenery indoors, while being assured that your children and pets are safe and happy!
Common Problems And Solutions For Purple Plants
Indoor plants of all types face the same maladies. Some are environmental (dry air, low light, too much water, low nutrients), and others are caused by insect pests or disease.
Here are some trouble-shooting tips for common problems you may face in keeping your plants healthy and flourishing.
Droopy-looking Leaves
Inside watering is where begin to fail most indoor plants! Too much watering! Too little watering!
You’ll get a great deal of dry soil to check if there is enough water for the plant to take up. Eventually the plant’s leaves go dry and they look wilted, the lower leaves wilt first.
Too much water… the plant’s root are so soaked they wont function properly, if they were functioning the plant takes up as much water as it needs. The leaves start to look droopy, and wilted but they wont feel dry.
In other words, too much water is just as bad as not enough water. There has been more than one indoor plant that has been “killed by kindness” watering!
What To Do
If your plants leaves are limp, you’ll want to check the soil. If it is moist to the touch then you should allow the soil to dry to allow the roots time to recover.
Be sure to always check the moisture in the soil before watering. For most plants the leaves will turn limp when the top 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of soil is dry. Get to know the exact needs of each variety of plant that you own.
Some plants prefer to really dry the soil out in the pot before watering again, while others prefer a consistently moist soil.
Leaves With Dry Brown Tips And Edges
Brown, crispy leaf tips are common. It’s always a sign that the air and / or the soil is dry for the plant – or that it has a fertilizer issue.
Conditions Too Dry
Most houseplants are from warm and humid tropical regions. Unfortunately, even though we have to heat our homes in the winter, it creates very dry air which is challenging for these plants.
Don’t put your plants near a winter heat source like a baseboard heater, wood stove, or heat pump.
Also, don’t put them in the path of air conditioner vents, as cold air can also dry out plants and at times can cause damage to the plant cells internally if the air is cold enough.
What To Do
To raise humidity around your plants, use a spray bottle on the mist setting and mist in winter. When to mist, and how often depends on the plant.
Or, you can put the houseplant on a saucer filled with pebbles and water. Just make sure the bottom of the pot is above – and not in – the water, and keep topping off the water!
Too Much Fertilizer
Another possible reason for yellowing and dead brown leaf tips is too much fertilizer. Too much fertilizer is worse than too little fertilizer. Too much fertilizer can burn the leaves because of the salts in the fertilizers contain and all of the salts getting applied at once.
If your plant’s leaves start showing these symptoms a week to ten days after fertilizing, you’ve probably applied a little too much, or it could also be that the salts in the fertilizer have accumulated to too high a level in the potting.
What To Do
When using water-soluble fertilizers, it’s better to mix half the concentration suggested on the label and use it twice as often.
Leaves Are Turning Yellow
Leaves can turn yellow for a number of reasons. It’s usually a good idea to reflect on the pattern of yellowing leaves in determining the cause of the problem. For example:
Are one or two older leaves towards the bottom of the plant gradually turning yellow? Or are leaves yellowing on all sides of the plant? Are leaves yellowing only on the sunny side of the plant?
Bottom Leaves Turning Yellow
Sometimes a really old plant might just have some leaves drop off at the base of the plant while new growth is happening at the top. But at other times, there could be something else going on.
Fertilizer
When one or two of the older leaves at the bottom of the plant slowly turn pale green then yellow, and simultaneously there are lots of healthy new growth at the top of the plant – the issue may be a nutrient deficiency in the soil.
Nitrogen (the N – or first number – on a fertilizer package), is a primary part of the chlorophyll, the substance that makes the leaves green. If there is not enough nitrogen available, the leaves all over the plant will slowly go pale and yellow, and eventually the plant will stop making new growth.
When nitrogen is not present in the soil in enough quantity, and when a plant is developing new growth, the plant will rob nitrogen out of the older leaves at the bottom and transfer it upwards into the tips of the plant to support growth.
You may need to repot the plant with fresh soil that will provide some nutrient availability. Also, you should apply a houseplant fertilizer to provide some nitrogen.
Leaves All Over The Plant Turning Yellow
Watering
One example of how we over or under water a plant is yellowing leaves.
If some leaves are yellowing, then drying out, then falling off, it’s probably underwatering. If the leaves are just yellowing, drooping, then dying, it is most likely overwatering.
Purple leaf plants will lose their color and look washed-out or pale yellow, or even creamy white rather than the deeper yellow of green leaf plants.
Always check the soil, in the pot, before watering.
Lighting
If the leaves on the entire plant are turning pale yellow but are not droopy, this is likely light related. Purple-leaf plants will lose rich color and look washed-out if they are not receiving proper light.
Leaves Turning Yellow On One Side of The Plant
A lot of indoor houseplants only get light on one side; the side closest to a window. When a houseplant gets more sunlight than it can handle, its leaves will turn a pale yellow.
So, if the leaves on the side of the plant that is closest to the window are turning pale but the opposite side is doing just fine, then the plant probably is getting far too much sunlight.
They are literally getting a sunburn, and the plant should be moved to a new spot with less light intensity.
Where to Buy Houseplants
There are a lot of places to obtain them. I would look to garden centers and florists first, then grocery stores. You may find them in the garden centers of hardware stores and “big box” stores too.
Of course, you can buy them online, but I’m a fan of buying them in person. You can find a person who knows something about plants at a garden center or florist, and can answer questions. You can also look at the plants before you buy them (see the tips below).
If you order online, you do not really know what you are going to get. Shipping is also stressful for plants, and you do not know what condition the plant will be in when you receive it at your door.
Tips for Buying Houseplants
When you’re out shopping in person, it’s essential to ensure that the plant you are purchasing is healthy and not too far gone.
Here is what I think you need to be looking for:
Healthy Foliage
Check for any leaves that look all green, and do not have pale yellow patches or pale yellow edges (again unless the plant is meant to be variegated!) There should be no dead dry brown tips or brown spots on the leaves.
Make sure the leaves are not soft and droopy. You should also be looking for healthy new growth coming in at the tips or base of the plant.
No Sign Of Pests
Inspect the stems and leaves closely for any signs of insect pests. Also, pick up the plant and see if any insects fly off. (these may include thrips or soil gnats.)
Look for really small webbing on the underside of the leaves, and also at where the leaves and stem meet (indicators of spider mites).
Stuff that looks like small cotton-wool dabs found on the underside of the leaves or where the leaves and main stem meet is an indicator of mealybugs.
Roots Coming Out The Drain Holes
A plant is considered rootbound (or “pot bound”) when it’s roots have filled the entire pot… there’s just “root” left!
Some plants can survive being slightly pot bound, and sometimes thrive, but most won’t. If you see roots coming out the drain holes in the bottom of the pot it’s time to repot the plant into a larger pot.
This does not mean that the plant is unhealthy, rather you will need to be aware that you will need to pot it up when you take it home. Some garden centers may offer this as a service.
Purple House Plants
I’ve listed 15 of my favorite unique, purple-foliage plants, and I’ve provided great details on what each plant needs for care, including:
- How to grow
- What kind of light it needs
- What kind of soil it likes
- How much water is needed
- When to prune purple foliage plants
- How to fertilize
- When to repot
Have fun selecting your new purple indoor plant!
1 – Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis)
| Origin | South America |
| Plant size | Grows 6-12 inches (15-30 centimeters) tall and 12-24 inches (30-60 centimeters) wide |
| Flowering | Fall through spring |
| Light | Bright indirect sun |
| Watering | Keep soil evenly moist when flowering (fall through spring). Water when the top inch (2.5 centimeters) of soil has dried out. Reduce watering in summer when plants go dormant and stop flowering |
| Fertilizer | Apply general-purpose fertilizer, diluted to half the label recommendations, when the plant is in flower. Stop fertilizing when not in flower in summer |
| Potting soil | Sandy well-drained |
| Pruning | n/a |
| Repotting | Repot every 2-3 years |
| Toxicity | All parts of the plant are toxic to people and pets if ingested |
This is one of the few indoor plants that has leaves that are a true dark purple; they almost look black.
Each leaf has three triangular lobes, which gives it its name. It looks like a shamrock but isn’t one. At night – or in low light conditions – the leaves fold up and the plant looks sick. Don’t worry – they’ll open up again when daylight returns.
The plant produces diminutive flowers in shades of pale pink, lavender purple or white. The flowers are produced in the lower-light conditions of fall through spring.
Note
In South America where purple shamrock is native it goes dormant during the hot summer months. This means that as an indoor plant, if you have it in full sun, the plant may go dormant if the indoor temperature goes above 80 F (27 C).
Depending on the light conditions, the leaf stems will droop and its leaves will slowly turn yellow and die off. If this happens put the plant in cool low light conditions for about a month. When small new shoots begin, return the plant back to high light conditions and resume watering.
2 – Rex Begonia(Begonia rex-cultorum)
| Origin | Asia |
| Plant size | Grows up to 18 inches (45 centimeters) tall and wide |
| Flowering | Minimal |
| Light | Bright indirect light. Direct sun in winter is ok. Tolerates low light conditions (4 hours sun) |
| Watering | Keep soil consistently moist, not soggy. Allow the top inch (2.5 centimeters) to dry between waterings. Water sparingly in winter |
| Fertilizer | Apply high potash (K on the label) fertilizer every two weeks spring through fall. Do not fertilize in winter |
| Potting soil | General purpose potting mix |
| Pruning | n/a |
| Repotting | Repot in spring, when rhizome grows to the edge of the pot |
| Toxicity | Rhizome is most toxic part of plant. Leaves mildly toxic to people and pets if ingested |
You probably have a Rex begonia or one like it. This leafy decorative indoor plant is also known as painted-leaf begonia. They have hairy heart-shaped leaves that are colors of dark green, red, pink, purple, and silver. They make for great houseplants if you want to add some bright colors to a low-light room.
Rex begonia is grown as an ornamental plant for its foliage. While it will produce flowers, the flowers are usually few and short-lived. It appreciates high humidity, making it a great option for a lo-light environment such as a bathroom.
To maintain a nice even shape, turn your Rex begonia weekly so all sides can receive some light.
There are many types of begonia, they are classified into three categories based on the type of root system:
- Fibrous
- Rhizomatous
- Tuberous
Each group will have slightly different care instructions.
Rex begonia is classified in the “rhizomatous” group. Rhizomes are another kind of plant stem, except instead of growing an upright stem above the soil, it grows along the soil surface, growing roots down into the soil as it will grow shoots and leaves above the soil.
Rhizomatous begonias may lose all of their leaves and go dormant through the winter. Put the pot in a cool low-light location for 6-8 weeks. When new-growth emerges put the pot back in the sunny location.
A Note on Repotting
When the rhizome of the Rex begonia begins to reach the rim of the pot, it’s time to repot the begonias so the rhizome has room to grow. These begonias grow well in shallow, but wide pots that give a rhizome plenty of room.
3 – Iron Cross Begonia (Begonia masoniana)
| Origin | Southeast Asia |
| Plant size | Up to 1 foot (30 centimeters) tall |
| Flowering | Spring and summer |
| Light | Bright indirect sun. Grows well under fluorescent plant lights |
| Watering | Water thoroughly and allow the top inch (2.5 centimeters) of soil to dry out between waterings. Reduce watering in winter. Avoid getting water on the leaves |
| Fertilizer | Apply balanced fertilizer diluted to half the recommended concentration once a month spring through fall. Do not fertilize in winter |
| Potting soil | All-purpose potting mix with additional perlite added for better drainage. Potting mix labeled for African violets |
| Pruning | If plants get tall and straggly, pinch back to just above a leaf to encourage more bush growth |
| Repotting | Repot in spring when new growth has started |
| Toxicity | Rhizome is most toxic part of plant. Leaves mildly toxic to people and pets if ingested |
The iron cross begonia is another rhizomatous-type begonia. The leaves are bright green, deeply puckered, and hairy. In the middle of each leaf is a mahogany-purple—almost chocolate brown—cross pattern. The leaves sometimes have a purple border, as well.
In the spring and summer, they may have small clusters of pinkish-white flowers. But the flowers aren’t nearly as striking as the foliage.
Give it good light and your leaves should have nice, rich color; too little light and your plant will become spindly (“leggy”) and will not flower.
Begonias absolutely do NOT like being over-watered. A plant that is allowed to get too dry can be salvaged, but an over-watered plant may incur permanent root damage. So, be sure your begonia pot has good drainage – you don’t want the soil to stay wet.
If your begonia starts to wither in the fall and the leaves die back, don’t panic. It hasn’t died all the way; it is just going dormant and taking a break for the winter.
Stop watering it, cover the pot with a plastic bag to keep the soil from drying completely, and place it in a cooler location. In about 6-8 weeks you should see new shoots starting to appear.
4 – Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides)
| Origin | Tropical Africa, Asia |
| Plant size | Grows to about 24 inches (60 centimeters) tall |
| Flowering | Generally does not flower as an indoor plant |
| Light | Bright indirect sun. Avoid strong direct sun. Direct morning sun only |
| Watering | Keep soil slightly moist, not wet. Do not allow to dry out completely |
| Fertilizer | Apply balanced fertilizer every two weeks spring through fall, diluting to half recommended strength. Stop fertilizing in winter |
| Potting soil | Soil-based potting mix |
| Pruning | Pinch off growing tips to encourage bushy side growth. If plants become tall and spindly, cut back a third to half of stem, just above a leaf node |
| Repotting | Repot as needed, spring to summer, when roots crowd the container. |
| Toxicity | Mildly toxic to people and pets if ingested |
People grow coleus plants outdoors as an annual in cold zones, but coleus also make great indoor plants. There are many coleus varieties, many of which have unique foliage patterns of green, bright yellow, pink, deep magenta, purple, and orange.
Coleus will flower and set and die when grown outdoors. Coleus don’t often flower indoors, but if they do flower indoors, be sure to pinch off any flowers that happen. The flowers will kill the plant, even indoors, and you want your coleus to thrive.
Coleus can sometimes be short-lived. Once coleus become tall and spindly, they will drop the leaves of just grow smaller and smaller leaves. Then it’s time to think about replacing the plants or putting coleus cuttings to start new plants.
5 – Purple Passion Plant or Purple Velvet Plant (Gynura aurantiaca)
| Origin | Asia |
| Plant size | Trailing stems reach up to 5 feet (150 centimeters) long |
| Flowering | n/a |
| Light | Bright indirect sun for best leaf color. Non direct summer sun |
| Watering | Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy in spring and summer. Reduce watering in winter |
| Fertilizer | Apply balanced liquid fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer |
| Potting soil | Peat moss-based mix, with added perlite or vermiculite for good drainage |
| Pruning | Pinch back growing tips to keep plants compact. Cut back to 6 inches (15 centimeters) in spring |
| Repotting | Can tolerate being root-bound. Repot in spring to slightly larger container |
| Toxicity | Considered non-toxic to people and pets |
The purple passion plant has dark green holly-shaped foliage with purple veins and edges. The stems are a brilliant purple. The whole plant is covered in purple hairs which give it a purple velvet appearance overall.
This plant has a long trailing growth habit. It can be secured to a trellis or trailed down from its pot.
These plants are generally short-lived, and are generally replaced after 3-5 years. However, you can take them from cuttings and grow them fresh.
6 – Persian Shieldor Royal Purple Plant (Strobilanthes dyerianus)
| Origin | Burma |
| Plant size | Grows up to 24 inches (60 centimeters) tall |
| Flowering | In winter |
| Light | Bright filtered light |
| Watering | Keep evenly moist. Allow the top 1-2 inches (2.5-5 centimeters) of soil to dry out between waterings. Water less during winter |
| Fertilizer | Apply balanced fertilizer every two weeks in summer |
| Potting soil | Soil-based mix with extra perlite added compost |
| Pruning | Pinch growing stems back at a leaf node to encourage bushier growth. If plant gets tall and leggy, cut stems back to a leaf node, about 4 inches (10 centimeters) above soil level |
| Repotting | Repot when roots fill the pot |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to people and pets but may cause stomach upset if ingested |
Persian shield is a fast-growing upright plant with lance-shaped 6-inch (15 cm) leaves that presents primarily for its colorful foliage.
The surface of each leaf is silvery purple, almost metallic, patterned with green veins and margins, and the underbelly of the leaf is a deep purple that disappears as the leaf matures.
Persian shield likes humidity. In dry air the foliage will dry and drop. Take a large plant saucer and fill it with pebbles while adding water until the pebbles are above the water line. Perch the plant pot on the pebbles with the pot over—not in—the water.
Persian shield often flowers in winter, which is atypical for most indoor plants. Remove the spent flowers, and leave the rest of the plant to go dormant until spring.
Persian shield is usually replaced after a year or two, since older leaves lose their vibrant color and these fast-growing plants are cheap to replace.
7 – Purple Heart Spiderwort(Tradescantia pallida or Setcreasea purpurea)
| Origin | Mexico |
| Plant size | Trail to about 24 inches (60 centimeters) |
| Flowering | Inconspicuous. Rarely flowers as an indoor plant |
| Light | Bright light with some direct sun but not in summer |
| Watering | Keep soil evenly moist. Allow soil surface to dry slightly between waterings |
| Fertilizer | Apply balanced liquid fertilizer every two weeks in summer |
| Potting soil | General all-purpose potting mix |
| Pruning | Pinch back tips at a leaf node to encourage bushy growth |
| Repotting | When roots show through pot’s drainage holes, repot into new container 1-2 inches (2.5-5 centimeters) wider |
| Toxicity | Toxic to pets and people when ingested in large quantities |
The purple spiderwort is one of the most prevalent, and most liked, examples of houseplants. It’s low maintenance and very resilient. It can tolerate a fair amount of neglect and still survive, so it’s a good plant for beginners!
It is a trailing plant with succulent, jointed stems and lance shaped leaves that clasp around the stems. The leaves are a solid deep purple and a little hairy. They grow to about 4 inches (10 centimeters) long and an inch (2.5 centimeters) wide.
The foliage has the best coloration when the plant is grown in bright sun.
During the summer, the plant produces small bright pink flowers that contrast well with the deep purple foliage. The stems start upright and then arch and trail down over the container. This makes for a perfect plant for a hanging basket or placed on the top of a shelf to hang down.
Sometimes the tips of the growth are slightly curled upwards. The stems can be trimmed, if desired, to keep the plant shorter and denser.
8 – Silver Inch Plant, Zebra Plant, Wandering Dude (Tradescantia zebrina or Zebrina pendula)
| Origin | Mexico |
| Plant size | About 9 inches (22 centimeters) tall, trailing to 3 feet (90 centimeters) |
| Flowering | Inconspicuous. Rarely flowers |
| Light | Bright indirect sun |
| Watering | Keep soil consistently moist but not wet. Water when the top inch (2.5 centimeters) of soil feels dry. Reduce watering in winter |
| Fertilizer | Apply balanced liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks spring through summer |
| Potting soil | General-purpose potting mix with a bit of added perlite for good drainage |
| Pruning | Pinch back stems as needed to maintain desired shape and size |
| Repotting | Repot every 1-2 years, when the plant has crowded its container. New container should only be slightly larger, about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) bigger in diameter |
| Toxicity | Toxic to pets and people when ingested in large quantities |
The silver inch plant is super popular, probably because it is so easy to care for, as well as its unique coloring. It has succulent stems with purple and green leaves, striped with silver. The more natural light it receives (rather than indoor plant lights), the more purple – and less striped – they leaves will become.
It is a faster-growing plant, and if not managed the stems can become long and straggly looking. You can trim these back to promote bushier growth. To fill in the pot, just stick the cut stem directly into the potting soil for rooting.
9 – Purple Sweet Potato Vine(Ipomoea batatas)
| Origin | Asia |
| Plant size | Vines |
| Flowering | Rarely when grown indoors |
| Light | Bright indirect light. |
| Watering | Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy |
| Fertilizer | Plants can tolerate low nutrient conditions. Apply balanced fertilizer during the active growing season (spring to fall). |
| Potting soil | General purpose potting mix with a bit of added perlite for good drainage |
| Pruning | Regularly cut back long vines just above a leaf node to encourage shorter bushier plants |
| Repotting | Repot in spring when roots crowd the pot |
| Toxicity | Not considered toxic to people but toxic to pets |
The purple sweet potato vine is a cousin to the edible sweet potato, but I can tell you, it’s just not that tasty!
There are many different varieties, some have purple leaves, some have green leaves. Purple-leafed varieties include:
- ‘Blackie’
- ‘Midnight Lace’
- ‘Sweetheart Purple’
- ‘Sweet Caroline’
They grow like crazy and either have heart-shaped leaves, or more maple shaped divide leaves. They have long trailing vine stems, but you can keep a plant shorter and bushier if you trim back the vines.
The vines can be allowed to trail out of your pots, or they can be tied on a trellis if you like a more upright plant.
10 – Purple Rose Prayer Plant (Calathea roseoptica ‘Purple rose’)
| Origin | Central and South America; Africa |
| Plant size | Grows to about 32 inches (80 centimeters) tall and wide |
| Flowering | Rarely flowers |
| Light | Medium to low light. Avoid direct sun |
| Watering | Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Allow the top inch (2.5 centimeters) of soil to dry out between waterings. Drain excess water from plant saucer after watering |
| Fertilizer | Apply balanced fertilizer once a week in spring and summer |
| Potting soil | General purpose potting soil with a bit of added perlite for drainage |
| Pruning | Remove dry or yellowing leaves. Cut off at the base near the main stem |
| Repotting | Repot in spring into a pot 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) bigger in diameter. Use a container that’s wider than deep. |
| Toxicity | Considered non-toxic to pets and people |
Calathea plants are called “Prayer Plants” because the leaves curl and close up in response to low light at night.
One variety is ‘Purple rose’ and it has upright large oval leaves that is a rich purple-pink colour with dark purple edges and underleaves. It is a cute bush plant that can grow in compact spaces.
Calathea is very sensitive to the minerals that are usually found in tap water, causing rootburn. Use room temperature rain water or melted snow whenever possible.
Being from the tropics, the Prayer plant likes high humidity. A humid bathroom that receives some sunlight is a great choice for a Prayer Plant.
Mist the leaves at least weekly, especially in winter, to maintain humidity. Or, sit the plant pot in a saucer of pebbles and water, with the pot sitting over (not in) water.
Prayer plants enjoy a sponge bath sometimes too! Clean the leaves with a damp sponge and room temperature water.
11 – Elephant Ears ‘Black Magic’ or Taro (Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic’)
| Origin | Tropical regions of Eastern Asia |
| Plant size | 2 – 4 feet (60 – 120 centimeters) as an indoor plant (sometimes more) |
| Flowering | Rarely flowers |
| Light | Bright light. Filtered – but not direct – sun. Will tolerate low light conditions but color is more intense in brighter light |
| Watering | Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Don’t let the soil dry out completely between waterings. In winter allow the soil to dry out slightly |
| Fertilizer | Apply a balanced fertilizer every two weeks in summer. Do not fertilize in winter |
| Potting soil | Rich well-draining potting soil blended for tropical plants. Regular potting soil with added compost. |
| Pruning | Cut off any dead leaves at the base of the plant |
| Repotting | Repot when the plant has doubled in size. Every two years thereafter |
| Toxicity | Toxic to humans and pets if ingested. Sap may cause skin irritation |
There are different types of Elephant Ears, colors range from green to purple. The one with really amazing purple leaves is called, ‘Black Magic’.
The thick, tall stems support a single large heart shaped leaf at the top of the stem. Both the stem and leaf is a smokey deep, almost black purple.
These plants are really big statements in your home decor and they grow pretty large. They are fast growing. Be prepared to give them lots of room and use a BIG pot!!! The larger the pot you give them, the better chance they have to grow larger!
Caution: You may come across information stating that taro is edible. In their native regions and perhaps specialty markets in other countries, you will see tubers and other parts of the taro plant sold (or eaten). Some parts of the taro plant are edible, BUT ONLY WHEN COOKED which dissolves harmful oxalic acid.
12 – Hawaiian Ti Plant (Cordyline fruticosa)
| Origin | Asia; Pacific islands |
| Plant size | 2-10 feet (60-300 centimeters) tall and 3-4 feet wide (90-120 centimeters) |
| Flowering | Rarely flowers indoors |
| Light | Bright indirect light. Can tolerate some direct sun |
| Watering | Water when the top 2 inches (5 centimeters) of soil feels dry. Water a bit at a time until water runs out the pot’s drainage holes. Remove excess water from plant’s saucer |
| Fertilizer | Apply balanced fertilizer weekly in summer. Do not fertilize in winter |
| Potting soil | Rich well-draining potting mix |
| Pruning | None necessary. Cut off dead leaves at base where they attach to main stalk of the plant |
| Repotting | Repot when the plant has crowded its pot (about every 3 years). Use a pot tall enough to hold long taproot |
| Toxicity | Toxic to dogs, considered non-toxic to cats and people. |
Ti plants feature an array of colors, which can include leaf colors of green, red, yellow, cream, and purple. They have long, spiky leathery leaves that shoot up from a crown at the center of the plant.
Ti plants like a lot of light. If they are exposed to low light they will lose color in the leaves and revert to more solid green leaves.
Ti plants tend to be more sensitive than most indoor plants with regard to the fluoride that’s present in most municipal, drinking water supplies. You should dilute your tap water with rain or distilled water. Too much fluoride concentration may cause leaves to develop brown, crispy edges, and, could possibly develop the whole leaf as brown.
Caution: The leaves of cordyline species have sharp edges that can cut to the same effect as a paper cut, so it would be a good idea to put them out of reach of children and not place them in high traffic areas such as hallways, or right next to your favorite chair.
13 – Bloodleaf Plant, Beefsteak Plant (Iresine herbstii ‘Brilliantissima’)
| Origin | South America |
| Plant size | 12-18 inches (30-45 centimeters) tall and wide |
| Flowering | Rarely blooms when grown indoors |
| Light | Bright indirect light. Avoid direct sun |
| Watering | Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy |
| Fertilizer | Apply high nitrogen fertilizer once a month spring through fall. Do not fertilize in winter |
| Potting soil | General-purpose potting mix |
| Pruning | Regularly pinch back growing shoots to encourage side growth for bushier plants |
| Repotting | Every year to two years |
| Toxicity | Highly toxic to humans when eaten. May cause serious skin irritation. Non-toxic to pets |
Bloodleaf is a vibrant beautiful plant. It has elongated, oval shaped leaves that are 4 inches (5 cm) long and are dark purple and have bright fuchsia-pink colored veins.
It is a fast growing plant that may require regular pinching-back of tall stems to promote a fuller, bushier plant.
In general, bloodleaf grown indoors never flowers. When grown outdoors, however, the flowers are small white or pale green and usually unnoticeable.
When a bloodleaf flowers, the flowers are usually pinched-back so the plant can devote energy to growing its amazing foliage.
14 – Purple waffle plant (Hemigraphis colorata)
| Origin | Java |
| Plant size | Up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) tall and 8 inches (10 centimeters) wide |
| Flowering | In spring. Insignificant |
| Light | Bright indirect light. Avoid direct sun |
| Watering | Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Drain excess water from plant saucer after watering |
| Fertilizer | Apply balanced fertilizer once a month spring through fall, diluted to half the recommended concentration. Do not fertilize in winter |
| Potting soil | General-purpose potting soil |
| Pruning | Generally not necessary. If plants get too scraggly-looking, pinch off the growing tips just above a leaf to encourage bushier side growth |
| Repotting | When roots poke out of pot’s drain holes, repot in spring |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to humans and pets |
Purple waffle plants have 2-4 inch (5-10 cm) long, heavily textured, crinkled, leaves. The tops of the leaves are almost black, dark green, and the bottoms are dark purple.
They produce small stems of small white flowers, which are produced in the spring, and are usually pinched off. The real star of this plant is the foliage.
This is an easy to grow low maintenance plant that adds color to home decor. Its small size makes it an excellent choice for the office as well.
Just make sure you give them enough light to maintain the purple colored leaves. In low light conditions, the color will fade to dark green.
Purple waffle plants thrive in high humidity, so misting them daily will benefit them the most, and is especially necessary in winter. Alternatively, you can place the pot on a tray of pebbles and limestone that contains water, as long as the plant pot does not sit in the water.
Purple waffle plant can be a little dramatic when it comes needing water! If it misses a watering, the leaves will wilt heavily, but they reviveline nice, so just water them thoroughly and all will be well!
15 – Burgundy Rubber Tree (Ficus elastica ‘Burgundy’)
| Origin | Southeast Asia; India |
| Plant size | Up to 10 feet (304.8 centimeters) tall |
| Flowering | n/a |
| Light | Bright indirect sun. Can tolerate low light |
| Watering | Allow soil to dry out between waterings. Then water slowly and thoroughly |
| Fertilizer | Apply fertilizer with slightly higher nitrogen once a month. Do not fertilize in winter |
| Potting soil | General-purpose potting soil with added perlite for good drainage |
| Pruning | None necessary but can be pruned to encourage bushier growth |
| Repotting | Repot when roots show out the pot’s drainage holes, or about every two years |
| Toxicity | Mildly toxic to pets and humans if ingested. Sap is a skin irritant |
A Burgundy rubber tree is an impressive plant with large, glossy, attractive leaves which start out as a rich burgundy and turn deep green as they grow and uncurl.
This plant can grow quite tall, so you will have to find a lot of space for it! They can make a striking presence in home decor.
It is a low-maintenance plant and has very low water needs. It can tolerate low-light conditions, but the intense purple coloring will appear with more light.
Rubber trees like to be pampered, so it’s a good idea to occasionally wipe down the leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust and help it regain its glossy sheen.
CAUTION: It’s important to note that all ficus have a milky sap, which is a skin irritant. You may want to wear gloves when pruning or repotting. This milk sap also makes ficus plants dangerous for pets to chew or ingest!