We all love a beautiful, rich green, but sometimes we also need a pop of colour. Purple can give you that exact result; it adds character, a bit of drama and a little moody contrast that helps all the plants around it stand out. Here are our favourite purple houseplants, along with quick care guides to keep them thriving.
Purple Passion Plant (Gynura aurantiaca)
Also known as the Velvet Plant, and once you touch it, you will understand why. The leaves are covered in fine purple hairs that shimmer in the light and give the whole plant a soft, velvety glow. It is one of the most purple plants you can grow indoors, and it stays compact enough for a desk or a shelf.
Care guide:
- Sunlight: Bright, indirect light is the secret to that purple fuzz. The more light it gets, the deeper the colour. Too little and it fades back toward green.
- Watering: Water when the top few cm’s of soil feels dry, and always water at soil level. Those fuzzy leaves hold moisture and can spot or rot if they stay wet, so keep them dry.
- Maintenance: Easygoing. Snip the growing tips now and then to keep it bushy rather than leggy. Feed with Grow Concentrate to support all that new growth.
Inch Plant (Tradescantia zebrina)
Want purple and want it fast? This is the plant that’ll give you that. The Inch Plant trails with striped leaves in silver and purple, with magenta undersides that show off like a peacock in a hanging pot. It grows super quickly too, roots from cuttings in water almost instantly, and is a hardy plant.
Care guide:
- Sunlight: Bright, indirect light keeps the stripes and purple tones bold. In low light, it will survive, but the colour washes out, and the growth stretches.
- Watering: Water when the top few cm are dry. It is a thirsty, fast grower in the warmer months, so check it more often then.
- Maintenance: Very low. Snip it back whenever it gets stringy and pop the cuttings straight back into the same pot for a fuller plant.
Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis)
One of the most striking purple plants around, with plum leaves held up on delicate stems. The best party trick: the leaves fold up and down with the light, closing at night like little umbrellas and opening again in the morning.
Care guide:
- Sunlight: Bright, indirect light, with a little gentle direct sun being fine. Good light keeps the purple rich and the plant full.
- Watering: Water when thetop few cm’s is dry. It grows from small bulbs, so it prefers a good drink then a chance to dry out slightly, rather than sitting soggy.
- Maintenance: Easy, with one thing to know. If it suddenly dies back, do not panic and toss it. It is most likely just going dormant. Trim the spent leaves, ease off the water, and it will bounce back. A little Enrich Powder worked into the soil keeps it fed for the long haul.
Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus)
This is the showstopper of the group. The leaves glitter with a metallic purple over a green base. It brings serious drama and looks incredible sitting next to green foliage.
Care guide:
- Sunlight: Bright, indirect light to keep that iridescent shimmer. Not enough light, and the colour dulls as the plant gets leggy.
- Watering: It likes to stay evenly moist, so water when the very top of the soil dries out. Do not let it dry all the way through, and it will thank you for a little extra humidity.
- Maintenance: Medium. Pinch the tips to keep it bushy, and give it warmth and humidity to look its best. Wipe any dust from the leaves gently with Protect Spray to keep that sheen clean and glossy.
Purple Waffle Plant (Hemigraphis alternata)
Small but full of character. The leaves have a waffled texture in bronze and deep purple, with purple undersides. It stays small, which makes it perfect for a tiny pot, a bathroom shelf, or even a terrarium where it can soak up the humidity.
Care guide:
- Sunlight: Medium to bright indirect light. Brighter light deepens the purple, though keep it out of harsh direct sun.
- Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist and water the top few cm when it begins to dry. It loves humidity, so a bathroom or a spot grouped with other plants suits it well.
- Maintenance: Easy. It stays neat and compact, and responds well to a regular feed with Grow Concentrate through the growing season.
Whether you go for one statement plant or build a whole moody purple corner, these five bring colour that green simply cannot. Give them good light, and they will reward you with tones that stop people mid-scroll.