How to Care for the Purple Heart Plant

The Purple Heart plant is an attractive species, distinguished by its firm, colorful leaves. A hardy perennial, it thrives outdoors where it can be used as ground cover or grown in pots with trailing branches resembling cascading layers. This plant is relatively easy to care for and highly adaptable, making it a great choice for indoor gardening.

Determine the plant's ideal growing conditions. Native to South America, the Purple Heart plant prefers sunlight and warm temperatures ranging from 13-24°C. If you plan to grow it indoors, temperature is not an issue, but outdoor cultivation requires careful attention to conditions. Refer to Section 2 for more on sunlight requirements.

• The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has created a planting zone map based on average minimum temperatures. Plants are categorized by zones in which they thrive. The Purple Heart plant does best in USDA zones 9 through 11, which include much of the southern U.S. and the West Coast. Check the map to see if your region's temperature is suitable for growing Purple Heart outdoors.
• If you don't live in zones 9-11 according to the USDA planting zone map, remember that you may not be able to grow Purple Heart outdoors during winter. Consider growing it indoors instead.

Choose the right pot. You can use a regular plant pot with a water-catching dish or a hanging basket. Regardless of the type, ensure that the pot has drainage holes.

• If you choose a hanging basket, remember to rotate it daily so that the plant receives even sunlight.
• Choose a pot that is not too heavy, especially if you plan to hang it. Consider using a plastic pot instead of a ceramic one for this reason. A lighter pot will make it easier to move the plant indoors during frost.

Plant the purple thyme in the pot. Fill the pot two-thirds with soil, then place the plant in the center. Add soil around it and fill the pot to the top. Gently press the soil around the plant and water it until the soil is thoroughly moist.

• You can buy purple thyme from various nurseries. You can also propagate the plant using cuttings from a mature plant. Make sure to learn how to properly plant cuttings from a mature plant.

Provide enough light for the plant. If possible, create conditions where the plant receives both direct and indirect sunlight.

• A east-facing windowsill is an ideal spot for purple thyme, as it will get both strong and indirect light throughout the day. However, make sure the location doesn’t get too hot in the afternoon. If it does, move the pot further from the window, or use a curtain to filter the light.
• If the plant is primarily outdoors, find a spot with indirect sunlight. A location receiving morning sunlight for a few hours is perfect. Just remember that most of the day, the plant should be in the shade, avoiding direct sunlight.

Water the plant regularly. Purple thyme likes moist soil but doesn’t want to sit in water! You should check the soil by poking your finger into it. If it feels dry, water it thoroughly until the soil is fully moistened. Excess water will drain out of the bottom of the pot.

• If there is a water-catching tray under the pot, remember to empty it when it fills up.
• Do not water directly on the plant's top to avoid rotting the tips. You can reduce watering in the winter months when the plant grows slower. Just let the soil dry out a little longer before watering again.
• Some people find it convenient to use self-watering glass globes inserted into the pot; however, these globes need to be cleaned regularly and refilled with water. You will still need to monitor the plant's moisture level if you use this method.

Fertilize the plant regularly. Every two weeks, you can use a diluted 10-10-10 liquid fertilizer mixed with an equal amount of water to feed the plant.

• 10-10-10 liquid fertilizer is a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer containing 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. Be sure to carefully follow the instructions on the package, as some liquid fertilizers come in powder form and need to be dissolved in water.
• Fertilizing is only necessary during the plant's peak growing season, from spring to early fall.

Prune the plant. To prevent the plant from becoming spindly, trim off some of the upper branches just above the leaf nodes. Don’t worry about cutting too much! You can remove up to a quarter of the plant. This will encourage the plant to sprout new shoots rather than growing longer through the tendrils.

• The best time to prune the plant is in the spring and summer when it is growing the most. After pruning, give the plant a chance to sprout new shoots and become fuller.
• If the plant becomes too dense and bushy, you may need to trim around the base to ensure it gets enough air and light.

Remove dead, diseased, and rotting leaves. Eventually, the plant will stop growing leaves at the base but will continue to grow tendrils. At this point, you might need to repot the plant or rearrange it in a new container. You can propagate the plant by taking cuttings, placing the stems in water, or simply laying the cuttings on the soil surface.

Eliminate aphids. The young shoots of purple thyme often attract tiny green insects called aphids. They typically appear near the plant’s stem. An effective treatment is to pinch or cut off the infested branches and spray the rest of the plant with plenty of water. You can also use a hose or a high-pressure water jet to dislodge the aphids from the leaves.

Revive brown leaves. Mist the plant regularly. When the humidity drops, the plant’s leaves may turn brown, but you can help restore them by misting consistently. Wet leaves will also help get rid of aphids that might be living on the plant. Simply fill a spray bottle with water and mist until the leaves are lightly damp.

• Brown leaves could also indicate the plant is getting too much direct sunlight. In that case, make sure to move the plant away from the direct sun or install a light-filtering material between the plant and the window, such as a curtain.
• For the best results, try using distilled water or bottled water when misting the leaves.

Revive faded leaves. Leaves that appear lackluster and discolored may not be getting enough sunlight. Gradually increase the amount of sunlight to avoid shocking the plant. You can move the pot closer to a window to give the plant more light, or find a sunnier spot outdoors for it.

Remove rotting roots. If the plant’s leaves are turning pale yellow, it could be a sign of overwatering, which is causing the roots to rot. If this happens, the plant may not produce many new shoots, if any. You will need to trim off the rotting sections and take a cutting from a healthy part of the plant to replant it.

• Be cautious. The sap of purple thyme can cause skin irritation in humans and allergies in dogs.

• Cuttings or a plant
• Potting soil containing peat moss
• Plant pot or basket
• Water
• Fertilizer
• Self-watering globe (optional)
• Pruning shears (optional)