Purple hanging plants add a unique aesthetic with vibrant hues and cascading forms. Their striking color palette, from deep plum to soft lavender, contrasts traditional green foliage. These plants infuse homes and gardens with depth and beauty, offering elegance and lively color.
Popular Purple Hanging Plant Varieties
Tradescantia zebrina
Tradescantia zebrina, known as the Inch Plant or Wandering Jew, features distinctive striped foliage. Its leaves have a rich purple underside often bleeding into the top, creating a metallic sheen with silvery-green stripes. Its trailing habit makes it excellent for hanging baskets with colorful, cascading stems, and rapid growth adds to its popularity.
Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Heart’
Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Heart’ features uniform deep purple stems and leaves, providing bold color. Its vivid purple hue intensifies with ample light. Robust, succulent stems spill over container edges, making it a dramatic hanging plant, and small pink flowers occasionally emerge, contrasting the dark foliage.
Gynura aurantiaca
Gynura aurantiaca, or Purple Passion Plant, has unique velvety leaves covered in fine purple hairs. These hairs create an iridescent, glowing effect in direct light, giving it a soft, fuzzy appearance. Its sprawling stems and striking texture make it an intriguing hanging display, with visual appeal primarily from its foliage, not its less conspicuous orange flowers.
Oxalis triangularis
Oxalis triangularis, or Purple Shamrock, features deep purple, triangular leaves arranged in groups of three, resembling a shamrock. These leaves fold down at night and reopen in the morning, displaying diurnal movement. Delicate pale pink or white flowers often bloom above the foliage, adding charm, and its mounding and trailing habit makes it suitable for hanging, allowing its distinctive leaves to be admired from below.
Callisia repens
Callisia repens, or Turtle Vine, has small, rounded, often variegated leaves with purple undertones, especially in brighter conditions. Some cultivars show a more pronounced purple blush on stems and leaf undersides, adding subtle color to its dense, creeping growth. It forms a delicate, tight mat of foliage that spills gracefully over hanging planters, and its fine texture and compact growth make it appealing for a softer hanging display.
Dischidia ovata
Dischidia ovata, or Watermelon Dischidia, features small, oval leaves with distinct silver-green veins, resembling a miniature watermelon. While primarily green, leaf undersides can show a subtle purple or reddish tint, especially with good light. This epiphytic plant has a unique trailing habit, allowing its small, patterned leaves to hang attractively, and its delicate appearance and interesting leaf patterns make it a unique addition to hanging plant collections.
General Care Principles for Purple Hanging Plants
Light
Most purple hanging plants thrive in bright, indirect light for vibrant coloration. Direct, intense sunlight can scorch leaves or fade purple pigments, making them dull, while insufficient light leads to loss of rich purple hue, resulting in greener or paler foliage. An east or west-facing window often provides ideal light.
Watering
Consistent watering is important, though frequency depends on environmental factors. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry before watering thoroughly. Overwatering can lead to root rot, and prolonged dryness causes wilting and stress. Feel soil moisture regularly to determine needs.
Soil Requirements
A well-draining potting mix is essential for most hanging plants, especially those with purple foliage. A mix with perlite or coarse sand prevents waterlogging and promotes healthy root development. Good soil aeration allows roots to breathe and prevents compaction, so amending a standard indoor potting mix with drainage material is beneficial.
Fertilization
Fertilizing purple hanging plants during their active growing season (spring and summer) supports robust growth and vibrant color. Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer, diluted to half strength, every two to four weeks. During fall and winter, reduce or cease fertilization as growth slows, as excessive fertilization can lead to salt buildup, harming roots.
Humidity and Temperature
Many purple hanging plants appreciate moderate to high humidity, mimicking tropical environments. Grouping plants or using a humidifier increases ambient moisture. Most varieties prefer consistent room temperatures, generally between 65°F and 80°F (18°C-27°C), so avoid sudden temperature fluctuations and cold drafts, which stress plants.
Creative Display Ideas for Hanging Plants
Purple hanging plants offer versatile display opportunities, enhancing indoor and outdoor settings. Placing them near windows allows vibrant colors to catch light, creating a dynamic visual effect. Bathrooms provide higher humidity, while outdoor patios showcase them in natural light. Consider the plant’s light requirements when selecting a location to ensure health and color.
The choice of hanging planter significantly impacts the aesthetic, from rustic macrame hangers to sleek ceramic pots or self-watering designs. Grouping plants at varying heights creates a layered, lush look, adding depth. Incorporating different textures and shades of purple enhances visual interest, and these plants complement modern minimalist decor or add a bohemian touch, depending on the chosen container and arrangement.
Addressing Common Plant Challenges
Observing purple hanging plants closely helps identify issues early. Fading purple coloration often indicates insufficient light, suggesting relocation to a brighter spot. Crispy or browned leaf edges might signal too much direct sun or underwatering, but adjusting light and watering habits can resolve these common problems.
Changes in leaf texture or small, sticky residues can be early signs of common houseplant pests. Regular inspection of leaf surfaces allows for early detection. Addressing pest issues promptly through gentle cleaning or appropriate treatments helps maintain plant health, and consistent attention contributes to overall well-being.