Last Updated on November 1, 2021 by Grow with Bovees
As a fellow plant lover, you’ll know that adding plants with colorful foliage to your home brings joy and a beautiful decorative effect to your interior design.
Plants that are bought from nurseries commonly come in all sorts of green foliage shades.
Have you ever considered adding some purple indoor plants to your plant collection?
Yes, you read correctly, a houseplant with broad spectrum purple leaves.
Wouldn’t that just be magnificent for the festive season?
Choose between a great spectrum of colors. This includes purple house plants with different shades of purple leaves, whether they have a pale washed out purple tone, are dappled with shades of violet or have incredibly vibrant purple or white flowers.
Their attractive foliage will certainly add a wow factor to any indoor plant collection.
There are many types of unusual purple house plants to choose from. Some we shall discuss below.
The Calathea roseopicta dottie, purple passion (aka purple passion Gynura aurantiaca, which has purple and green leaves), Persian shield plant, purple African violets, prayer plant — botanical name Maranta leuconeura, and dark purple and burgundy rubber tree plants are among our favorite purple house plants.
Symbolism Of Purple Plants & Purple Leaves
The color purple symbolizes tradition and royalty. Some believe it represents a feeling of admiration and success.
Some individual purple indoor plants and flowers have been assigned their own meaning.
For example, the purple lotus, in Buddhism, represents spirituality. Whereas the purple violet stands for prayer in the Christian religion. Lastly, we have the Chinese evergreen, which carries with it the symbolism of good luck.
Where To Buy Purple Indoor Plants
There are a few common purple houseplants that you should be able to find on sale at your local garden center throughout the year. And then there are some types that you will only find in spring and summer.
These beautiful wonders are found on online platforms.
Have a look, I’m sure you’ll find the perfect purple house plant for you.
Which Dark Purple Plant To Choose
There are different kinds of purple and attractive houseplants, of which we shall discuss a few further down in this article.
You might wonder how to choose a plant with purple leaves or purple hues when there are so many purple indoor plants available.
Simple! When searching for a plant with purple leaves, pick one that is best suited for you.
One that requires a level of care that you are comfortable providing. Also, consider where in your house you want to place this purple leaf plant.
Most importantly, don’t overthink it. Purple indoor plants are much like other beautiful houseplants, just not green.
Let’s continue by discussing a few popular purple houseplants and their basic care needs.
Some Purple Houseplants With Purple And Green Leaves
There are some pretty AH-Mazing purple houseplants out there, but nothing beats the show-stopping characteristics of some of these purple indoor plants. And almost like a green houseplant variety, purple house plants are sure to add a cool and exotic touch to your indoor garden.
Red Aglaonema
This elegant plant is more commonly known as the Chinese evergreen plant.
Its brilliant foliage shows off shades of red and deep green leaves with stylish stripes of purple.
This fancy plant is a relatively easy-to-grow, low-maintenance houseplant. Displaying it on a windowsill or shelf will definitely add a great dash of color to the indoor space.
Origin
The Red aglaonema originates from China and makes up part of the araceae family.
Size
When given the correct environmental conditions, the Chinese evergreen is able to grow up to 10 inches tall.
Water
Watering this plant is quite a simple task. Only give it water when the top few inches of the soil feels dry when touching it.
Light & Temperature
Temperature ranges should preferably be kept between 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit and place it in a spot of partial to complete shade.
Rubber Tree
The rubber plant, botanical name Ficus elastica, has leaves that carry bright red stunning colors when they are immature. Once they grow to be mature plants, their delicate foliage turns into stunning colors of deep and dark purple.
The Ficus elastica are highly sought after common houseplants popular for their shiny, almost waxy and colored foliage and would make an ornamental centerpiece on any desk or table.
Origin
The rubber tree originally came from regions in Southeast Asia, and it belongs to the spurge family.
Size
This plant has the potential to grow to a height of 13 feet long.
Water
Rubber trees are quite fussy when it comes to their soil hydration.
Be sure to adopt a watering routine where you water your ficus at least once every week during its growth period of spring through summer. Reduce watering during the colder months of winter.
Light & Temperature
Be sure to keep this delicate plant away from direct sunlight. The harsh rays of the sun will end up scorching its leaves, causing them to discolor and wilt. A spot with bright indirect sunlight is ideal.
The indoor temperatures should stay in a range of 60-64 °F.
Silver Squill
Salicyna silver squill is another kind of tropical plant carrying the color purple including unique silver markings.
Ledebouria socialis being its scientific name, is a bulbous perennial plant species exhibiting eccentric and interesting color mixing foliage of mottled green and silver leaves.
The purple pearl shade of this plant is displayed on the stems and hues.
Its purple stems and deep purple hues, together with the silver colored polka dots on its green leaves which display a purple underside, make for an absolute showstopper in any indoor plant garden. Some people call it the polka dot plant.
Origin
The silver squill is native to the wild jungles of South Africa, belonging to the asparagaceae plant family.
Size
The ledebouria is quite a small sized plant, reaching heights of around 10 inches.
Water
Watering schedules for the silver squill are not rocket science. Moderately water this plant in its juvenile stages and then continue by watering less as it matures.
Light & Temperature
The silver squill enjoys shaded areas rather than areas of direct sunlight. And it thrives best in cooler climates. Keep the temperature levels around 60 °F.
Sweet Caroline ‘Purple’ Potato Vine
This sweet potato vine, also known as Ipomoea batatas, is one of the most flexible and appealing indoor plants.
Its flamboyant foliage with ivy shaped leaves is a rich purple color that remains stunning all year around. This annual plant is a showstopper and is cherished for its amazing foliage.
The sweet caroline is a relatively easy-to-grow, low-maintenance houseplant, much like other common green houseplants.
Origin
These tropical plants originate from the tropical parts of Central America. It belongs to the convolvulaceae family.
Size
The sweet caroline can potentially grow to a height of 4 feet tall if provided with the proper conditions.
Water
The ipomoea should preferably be given water in the morning. Only provide it with water when the soil feels dry to the touch. Try keeping the soil moist at all times.
Light & Temperature
This sweet shrub thrives in areas of partial shade and partial sun. Temperature ranges should be kept at 70-80 °F.
Tradescantia Pallida ‘Purpurea’ Purple Heart
The purple heart plant is a characteristic plant that displays an amazing feature as it matures.
Namely, it’s dark-purple foliage, which carries deep royal purple shades with the occasional hint of subtle turquoise that gives these magnificent leaves a darker color.
These are unique flowering plants that will start blooming throughout the warmer months, blessing your home with clusters of prominent pink flowers.
Origin
The Tradescantia pallida is native to parts of eastern Mexico and, this magnificent shrub belongs to the commelinaceae family.
Size
This sweet little wonder is a small inch plant that has the ability to reach heights of 30-45 cm.
Water
During the dry periods of the year, supply this plant with generous amounts of water.
Light & Temperature
The ideal spot to place the purple heart is in an area which has both, full sun and partial shade.
This plant is not fussy about specific temperature ranges. When it has reached a mature age, it even becomes tolerant to drought.
Purple Waffle Plant
Purple waffle plant – interesting name wouldn’t you agree. This species is quite a popular and astonishing red-purple-colored houseplant, otherwise known as red ivy.
It’s a tropical perennial with a distinct look of metallic purple colored leaves.
Red ivy is quite a fussy plant when it comes to light levels provided. One way to notice that the waffle plant is not receiving adequate amounts of light is by looking at the color of the foliage.
Too little light will cause the purple shade to fade and make for an unhealthy looking plant.
Origin
Originating from Java, Asia, this shrub is part of the acanthaceae plant family.
Size
The length of the Hemigraphis alternata can potentially measure up to a height of 6 inches tall.
Water
Regular irrigation is of vital importance for this shrub. It does not thrive well in very dry conditions.
Light & Temperature
Place the purple waffle in an area of medium to bright light, while keeping it away from direct sunlight.
Keeping the daytime temperature above 40 °F is optimal.
Wandering Jew
The wandering jew, botanical name wandering jew Tradescantia zebrina, is a flowering plant not only popular for its magnificent foliage of purple stripes, but also for its violet flowers.
The wandering jew has a tendency to be a bit of a drama queen, especially during its early years. It needs regular feeding, watering and attention.
The leaves of this ornamental plant present a dark purple color on their undersides, whereas the top part of this amazing foliage has distinct markings of olive and silver forming a striking contrast of colors.
Origin
This high-maintenance purple leaf plant originally grew in parts of Central America, and it makes up part of the commelinaceae plant family.
Size
The wandering jew makes for a larger plant and can reach heights of roughly 6 feet tall.
Water
Water the jew regularly, keeping the soil constantly moist, and you’ll have a happy plant.
Light & Temperature
This zebrina plant thrives best in bright indirect sunlight. Direct light is detrimental to this plant, be sure to provide it with partial shade. The optimum average temperature range is 50-80 °F.
More Unusual Purple House Plants
- Ti plant cordyline fruticosa (aka Hawaiian ti plant)
- Purple queen
- Purple shamrock
- Purple oxalis
- German iron cross
- Calathea lancifolia
- Begonia rex-cultorum
Purple Plant Care
Purple houseplants make ordinary plants with green leaves and green veins seem boring, right?
And rightly so. Obtaining purple plants might add a royal touch to your home, but they also come with a higher responsibility.
This should be carefully considered before binding yourself to such great responsibility.
Keeping the beautiful flush of colors of these plants leaves and stems prominent and bright, calls for quite a bit of TLC. Too little attention and these plants may cause a bit of drama.
Light Requirements
Most purple plant types need bright light with conditions of partial shade in order to thrive and to uphold their magnificent color as well as their thick and bushy shape.
Find a south facing window in your house. This makes for an ideal spot as it would provide the plant with loads of bright but indirect light.
Avoiding the harsh rays of the sun is of importance to preventing the leaves from scorching, which turns the foliage dry with brown leaf markings in the long run. Adding a sheer curtain to the window will filter out any direct sunlight.
Investing in artificial light would also be beneficial as it can provide your plant with adequate sunlight. Use it with caution though. Placing your plants directly underneath a growing light, may cause their stunning foliage to scorch.
Water Requirements
It’s obvious that these purple stunners are a more exotic plant compared to other common indoor plants.
This, in return, means that many of them are quite fussy when it comes to watering needs, and it’s thus best to follow a good watering schedule to meet the plants special water needs.
A good way to make sure that you’re not over watering these violet wonders is to invest in a houseplant water meter.
Most of these shrubs thrive in moist soil. Avoid soggy soil as this may cause root rot. A good rule to follow when watering your plants is to feel the wetness of the soil.
If the top few inches of the soil are dry to the touch, it’s safe to water again.
Humidity Requirements
Most of these purple plants are of tropical origin, they like good amounts of moderate humidity. Average humidity in your house should be sufficient. If not, there are ways to increase the indoor humidity.
Place a humidifier near your plants for added humidity. This will also be of great benefit during the dry winter season.
Other ways to increase humidity are plant misting, plant grouping and using the water – filled pebble tray method.
Most of these shrubs enjoy warm temperatures rather than cold temperatures.
Soil & Fertilizer Requirements
Plant your shrub in a slightly acidic, well-draining potting mix. A good soil to use is the African violet potting mix. This is classified as average, well-draining soil.
Adding some peat moss is great to hold onto some soil moisture.
During the early spring and summer months, are the growth seasons of this shrub, your plant will definitely benefit from being fed regularly.
Organic indoor plant food or general-purpose fertilizer are great products to use for fertilizing. Another great all-purpose fertilizer to use would be compost tea.
Half strength balanced liquid fertilizer is another option. Be sure to dilute it to half strength before using it in order to avoid root burn.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. There are many choices and purple varieties when it comes to houseplants with purple leaves, and I’m sure you’ll find the perfect choice for you, whether it consists of velvety foliage or more burgundy foliage.
Caring for these purple houseplants doesn’t sound too scary, right?
Their plant care is much like that of a regular green plant, just slightly more demanding. But I’m sure that if you put your mind to it, you’ll have any of these amazing purple beauties growing in your house in no time.
If you don’t want your own, purple flowers or houseplants are the perfect choice for gifting a friend during the festive season.
Invest in one species to begin with, I’m sure you won’t regret it!
Happy planting!
Resources;
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/aglaonema-commutatum/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ipomoea-batatas/
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/purple-heart-tradescantia-pallida/
