Purple Heart Plant

The Purple Heart plant (Tradescantia pallida) is a fast-growing, low-maintenance perennial known for its vibrant purple, lance-shaped leaves and trailing stems, making it ideal for hanging baskets, containers, or ground cover. It thrives in full sun for best color but tolerates shade (turning greener) and prefers moist, well-draining soil, though it's drought-tolerant. Easy to propagate from cuttings, it's hardy in USDA zones 9-11 but grown as an annual or houseplant elsewhere, and its sap can irritate skin and pets. 
Key Characteristics
Foliage: Deep purple, fuzzy, lance-shaped leaves on trailing stems. 
Flowers: Small, pink to pale purple flowers with yellow stamens that bloom in summer and fall. 
Growth Habit: Trailing and spreading, often wider than tall. 
Toxicity: Toxic to pets and humans; sap can cause skin irritation. 
Care Guide
Light: Full sun for the best purple color; bright, indirect light indoors. 
Water: Water when the top inch or two of soil is dry; drought-tolerant but benefits from regular watering. 
Soil: Moist, well-draining soil. 
Fertilizer: Feed monthly during the growing season (spring/summer). 
Pruning: Pinch stems to encourage bushier growth and remove leggy stems. 
Growing Tips
Indoors: Use in hanging baskets or as a houseplant; it's also an air purifier. 
Outdoors: Excellent as a ground cover, in rock gardens, or containers in warmer climates (zones 9-11).