With these 12 majestic and fantastic purple-leafed plants, you can decorate your home and garden with taste
Plants with purple leaves are rather rare specimens in nature, as the predominant color in nature is green (of chlorophyl), which allows plants to derive nutrients from light and oxygen in the environment. That said, purple in nature comes in numerous shades - from deep purple to dark reddish.
Plants with purple leaves can be used by those who want to brighten up their homes fairly easily. With a wide variety of purple-plant species available at nurseries, any gardener can find a purple-colored plant suitable for their needs.
If you are also looking for a plant with purple leaves to decorate your home, take inspiration from these 12 suggestions:
1. Oxalis triangularis
This is a wonderful herbaceous plant with characteristic triangular and velvety leaves in an intense purple colour. It produces delicate white or lilac flowers in the shape of small bells. Small in size, it does not exceed 20 centimeters in height and is easy to cultivate.
Just protect it from heat and cold and keep it in a bright spot (otherwise its leaves will take on a color closer to black).
2. Gynura aurantica.
This plant has velvety, green leaves, with purple contours and veins. It is easy to cultivate, requiring a bright spot and infrequent watering, especially in the summer season.
3. Acer palmatum
Known as red maple or Japanese maple, this plant's leaves change color from purple in spring, to dark green in summer, ending up being bright red in autumn. Its very slow growth makes it suitable for cultivation both in pots and in the garden. It requires acidic, well-draining soil and is very resistant to the cold, withstanding temperatures of as low as -18 degrees C.
4. Purple pearl echeveria
Echeveria is a very large genus of succulents, whose peculiarity is that they change the color of their leaves depending on their exposure to the sun. The Purple Pearl Echeveria in particular, has deep purple leaves when exposed to direct sunlight. Very simple to cultivate, this plant requires watering only when the soil is dry.
5. Rhoeo discolor
This is a very adaptable tropical evergreen and has green and purple variegated leaves; in summer it can be outdoors in a shaded position, while in winter it needs to be brought indoors and exposed to indirect sunlight.
6. Begonia rex
A lesser-known species of the famous Begonia genus, this plant's base color is green, but the leaves have wonderful purple streaks and silver edges. It thrives in cool, humid environments, with lots of indirect sunlight.
7. Weigela Florida Wine & Roses
David J. Stang/Wikimedia Commons
The Weigela genus is highly appreciated for its ease of care and maintenance and is widely used for hedges and bushes with a highly decorative appearance; the Wine & Roses variety - also known as Weigela Alexandra - has deep purple leaves and lighter-colored flowers.
8. Tradescantia nanouk
Also known as The Misery Weed, this is a very elegant plant with purple streaked leaves (depending on the light conditions). It can be grown outdoors, but in winter it must be sheltered indoors as it cannot withstand temperatures below 10 degrees C. Its drooping nature makes it suitable for cultivation in hanging pots.
9. Persicaria microcephala Red Dragon
This is an outdoor plant with a highly ornamental character and very fast growth. It has heart-shaped leaves in an intense purple and blooms for a long time with bunches of white flowers starting from the end of summer and throughout autumn until November.
10. Albizia summer chocolate
Also called the Acacia of Constantinople, this is a bush or small tree that can be grown in a pot or in the garden; its leaves are brownish-purple and it puts out small lilac flowers in spring. It does not like strong winds and cannot be kept indoors - but outdoors, it can tolerate temperatures as low as -5 degrees C.
11. Fittonia
This is a very easy to grow plant and, depending on the variety, it can have white, yellow, red or purple veins on the leaves. Perfect for low-light spots, it adapts to the shade and does not require much care (apart from consistent humidity levels).
12. Calathea roseopicta rosy
A variety of the Calathea genus, this plant has purple designs on the upper surfaces of its leaves. Easy to grow, it opens and closes its leaves depending on the amount of light, rolling them up in the evening and opening them again in the morning.
Which of these is your favorite plant?