Purple Heart / Wandering Jew

Botanical Name: Tradescantia Pallida

Native to Mexico, Tradescantia Pallida is also known as Wandering Jew, Purple Spiderwort or Purple Heart, the latter monikers owing to its purple colouring.  As well as their blue-purple tinge, the leaves of the Purple Heart also display with a more normal bright green; the proportion of purple to green leaves varies from plant to plant, but the undersides of the leaves are almost always purple.  The Purple Heart’s many leaves are elliptical and rather thin. In summer, the Purple Heart will produce tri-petalled flowers which are usually a deep indigo-purple, but which may also verge towards a whiter purple.  

The Purple Heart will be thankful for plenty of light and will not punish full sunlight.  Its soil should be either loamy or sandy, and must drain well, as this plant needs plenty of water in dry weather (though not too much in winter).  In general, it is easy to grow, though those in cooler climates should grow it indoors.