Tradescantia pallida two three-petaled purple flowers with yellow anthers against dark foliage

Tradescantia pallida (Purple Heart)

This plant is a trailing succulent perennial herb native to Mexico. It has fleshy stems and elongated leaves that clasp the stems at their bases. Small flowers have three pink to pale purple petals and bright yellow anthers. The cultivar ‘Purpurea’ has more strongly purple foliage than the typical species. Each flower lasts one day. Stem cuttings root readily, and the plant tolerates drought and some salt exposure. Its sap can irritate skin, and eating it can irritate the mouth and stomach of people and pets. Photographed in the Valley of Cauca, Colombia.

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Tradescantia pallida three-petaled lavender-pink flower with yellow anthers beside narrow purple leaves

Single pink flower of Tradescantia pallida emerging from a dark purple stem, with six yellow-tipped stamens

Tradescantia pallida pale purple three-petaled flower with yellow anthers and fine white filament hairs

Tradescantia pallida pale pink flower emerging between dark purple leaf bases

Tradescantia pallida pink-purple flower above long dark purple leaves beside rough stone

Tradescantia pallida clump of pointed purple leaves growing between large exposed tree roots

Tradescantia pallida purple stems and pointed leaves spreading across a lichen-covered stone wall

Tradescantia pallida forms a dense ground covering patch of narrow purple leaves

A pink Tradescantia pallida flower opens at the tip of a purple leafy stem

A pale pink Tradescantia pallida flower displays three petals and yellow anthers

A pink Tradescantia pallida flower rests above overlapping purple leaves

Purple Tradescantia pallida stems and pointed leaves form a dense groundcover

A bed of purple Tradescantia pallida foliage grows beside brightly colored shrubs

Purple Tradescantia pallida stems trail across stone with small pink flowers