Purple Heart Pale Puma

Tradescantia pallida 'Pale Puma'

Mild irritant☀ Bright indirectEasy care

Check in 4 days· Jul 17

Water when the top 1–2 in. are dry.

Every 7 daysLast watered: 2026-07-10

This is a soil-check date, not an automatic watering date.

Overview

Summary, origin & habitat: A colorful trailing cultivar of Tradescantia pallida, a species native to Mexico. It is grown in hanging containers or as a warm-climate groundcover for its purple-toned foliage.
Interesting facts: Each flower lasts only a short time, but the plant can continue producing flowers over several weeks.
Name story: Pallida means pale or pallid, while “Purple Heart” describes the foliage. 'Pale Puma' is a horticultural cultivar name.
History & legends: Tradescantia honors the English gardeners and plant collectors John Tradescant the Elder and Younger. The name spiderwort refers to the thread-like sap that can form when stems are cut.

Light: Bright indirect light to several hours of gentle sun. More light generally deepens purple color; protect from hot afternoon sun.
Temperature: 60–80°F (16–27°C); bring indoors before temperatures fall below 50°F.
Watering: Water when the top 1–2 in. are dry.
Fertilizing: Monthly at ½ strength in spring–summer. Avoid heavy feeding, which can cause weak, stretched growth.
Toughness: High
Difficulty: Easy
Maintenance: Medium
Maintenance notes: Fast growth requires frequent pinching or renewal. Stems root easily but can become leggy in low light.

Mature height: About 6–12 in. upright
Mature spread: Trails or spreads 1–3 ft
Leaf colors: Green, muted purple to burgundy, sometimes with paler pinkish or gray tones depending on light.
Leaf type / form: Simple, narrow lanceolate, fleshy leaves on succulent trailing stems.
Best planting / repotting time: Best planted, renewed or propagated in spring to early summer.
Bloom time: Usually spring through fall; individual flowers are short-lived.
Flower color: Small three-petaled pink to lilac flowers.

Toxic if eaten?: Mildly toxic / irritating
Who is affected: People, cats and dogs
Possible effects: May cause mouth and stomach irritation if eaten; sap can cause redness or dermatitis.

Pruning: Pinch tips regularly and cut back leggy stems by one-third to one-half. Fresh cuttings can be replanted to renew the pot.
Propagation: Stem cuttings root rapidly in water or moist mix; division and simple layering also work.
Repotting: Repot or renew annually to every two years in spring. Older plants are often best replaced with fresh cuttings.

Adaptation strategy: Succulent stems and leaves hold water, while nodes root rapidly wherever they contact moist soil. Purple anthocyanin pigments help protect tissues under bright light.
Ecological application: Useful as seasonal groundcover, slope cover or a cascading container plant. It can naturalize aggressively in frost-free climates, so dispose of cuttings carefully.