The Purple Heart plant (Tradescantia pallida), also known as purple queen or purple spiderwort, is a popular ornamental recognized for its striking purple foliage and trailing growth. Pinching is a common horticultural practice used to manage its growth and enhance its appearance.
Why Pinch Purple Heart Plants
Pinching promotes a denser, more compact form by encouraging new stems and leaves closer to the base, preventing leggy growth. Removing growing tips redirects energy to lateral bud development, resulting in a bushier appearance. Regular pinching also enhances the vibrancy of the plant’s purple coloration, especially with adequate sunlight.
When to Pinch Purple Heart Plants
Pinch Purple Heart plants during their active growing season, typically spring through summer. During this time, the plant grows vigorously and responds well to pruning by developing new shoots. Perform regular, consistent pinching rather than infrequent, heavy trims to continuously encourage branching. Pinch young plants early to establish a full shape. Avoid heavy pinching during dormancy or when the plant is under stress, such as in colder winter months.
How to Pinch Purple Heart Plants
To pinch a Purple Heart plant, remove the growing tips of its stems. Use clean fingers for soft new growth or sharp, sterilized pruning shears for mature stems. Locate a leaf node, the small bump where a leaf or branch emerges. Make your cut or pinch just above this node, as new growth will emerge from dormant buds there. Removing the top half of overgrown stems encourages fullness. Also, remove spent flowers to redirect energy from seed production to foliage growth, promoting a more robust plant.
Aftercare and Using Cuttings
After pinching, provide adequate light and water to support the plant’s recovery and new growth. Purple Heart plants prefer bright, indirect light indoors and full sun outdoors to maintain their deep purple hue. Water thoroughly when the top inch of soil feels dry, allowing excess water to drain to prevent root issues.
Cuttings removed during pinching can be easily propagated. Purple Heart stems root readily in water; place a 3 to 6-inch cutting with at least one node into a glass of water, ensuring the node is submerged. Roots typically appear within days to a couple of weeks. Alternatively, plant cuttings directly into moist, well-draining potting soil, burying at least one node to encourage root development. This allows gardeners to expand their collection or share plants.