My son brought a small plant home from his high school ag teacher 20 years ago . It’s still kicking. If a piece breaks off, I just throw it in natural area on pine straw and it miraculously roots and spreads. Mine at our beach house comes from some i pulled out of ground at home and stuck in potting soil to then planted on edge of bed on hill - lots of shade but some sun. The purple is a different shade depending on how much sun it gets.
'Purple Queen' Purple Spiderwort Tradescantia pallida
Exposure
- Sun or Shade
Flower Season
- Spring
- Summer
Mature Size
Height: 12" - 18"
Spread: 12" - 2'
Height: 30cm - 46cm
Spread: 30cm - 61cm
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Details
12 - 18 Inches10 - 14 Inches12 - 24 Inches30cm - 46cm25cm - 36cm30cm - 61cmFeatures
'Purple Queen' is well-known to southern gardeners where it is often grown as a low maintenance perennial groundcover in zones 8 and warmer. This plant is surprisingly drought tolerant for such a tropical looking variety, but it also thrives with regular watering so it is easy to pair with many other types of medium vigor annuals in both sun and shade. It also makes an interesting groundcover for rock gardens and spills beautifully over retaining walls. In addition to the purple foliage, it also produces small pink flowers. Deer tend to leave this plant alone due to the sticky sap in its stems.
Award WinnerAdaptable As HouseplantFoliage InterestDeadheading Not NecessaryResists:DeerCharacteristics
Plant Type:AnnualHeight Category:MediumGarden Height:12 - 18 Inches 30cm - 46cmTrails Up To:24 Inches 61cmSpacing:10 - 14 Inches 25cm - 36cmSpread:12 - 24 Inches 30cm - 61cmFlower Colors:PinkFlower Shade:PinkFoliage Colors:PurpleFoliage Shade:PurpleHabit:TrailingContainer Role:SpillerPlant Needs
Light Requirement:Sun or ShadeThe optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).
Maintenance Category:EasyBloom Time:Grown for FoliageHardiness Zones:8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11bWater Category:AverageUses:GroundcoverUses:LandscapeUses:Mass PlantingUses Notes:Grow as an annual low maintenance groundcover in cold winter climates or as a perennial groundcover that is root hardy in zones 8 or warmer. Foliage will die back to ground level once temperatures begin falling below freezing. It is a fun plant to use in combination recipes adding a unique dimension to mixed containers. It works well in both sun and shade and can function as a unifying element to give sun and shade plantings a common plant.
Maintenance Notes:It can tolerate drought conditions once established, but will also thrive when grown with regular moisture. If the plant looks sparse, trimming the plant or pinching off stems tips will encourage branching and a full appearance. You can trim periodically as needed. If you don't trim the plant back, it will have a more trailing habit. This may be adventatgeous if you are using 'Purple Queen' in a container recipe as it will allow the plant to mix more easily with the other plants and to trail longer over the edge of patio planters and hanging baskets.
Grow as an annual low maintenance groundcover in cold winter climates or as a perennial groundcover that is root hardy in zones 8 or warmer. Foliage will die back to ground level once temperatures begin falling below freezing.
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3 Reviews
534321Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.-
Leslie Kornegay, North Carolina, United States, 27 weeks ago
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I still have this growing in a pot on my kitchen table!! When I fertilized this winter the pink flowers went wild !
Deb Eastman, Vermont, United States, 1 year ago -
I still have this growing in a pot on my kitchen table!! When I fertilized this winter the pink flowers went wild !
Deb Eastman, Vermont, United States, 1 year ago
13 Awards
Award Year Award Plant Trial 2022 Top Performer UGA 2022 Perfect Score Oklahoma State University Botanical Gardens 2022 Best of Species Penn State 2022 Top Performer - Beds, Best of Breed - Beds North Carolina State, JC Raulston Arboretum 2022 Top Performer - hanging basket, A Top 10 Pick University of Minnesota - Grand Rapids 2022 Top Performer Michigan State University 2022 Top Performer University of Florida - Fort Lauderdale 2022 Top Performer University of Minnesota - St Paul 2022 Top Performer Boerner Botanical Garden 2022 Top Performer University of Delaware 4 Recipes
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