Purple Heart ​(tradescantia pallida 'purpurea')

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is home to many animals, and we also cultivate plants from those animals’ habitats. You may see some of these plants in the animals” habitats or you can see them in our Victorian Greenhouse. Many of the plants are endangered, just like the animals.

DESCRIPTION: Purple Heart plants are perennials that have a good drought tolerance. They typically grow to 8” tall with a trailing habit, and features thick but fragile stems clad with pointed, narrow-oblong, v-shaped leaves (4-6” long) that are sheathed to the stems. Stems will trail to 18” or more. Three-petaled, pink flowers (to 1.5” diameter) bloom in small clusters.  Stems and leaves are violet purple.

RANGE: Native to Mexico.

Photo: Missouri Botanical Garden