The House Plants Guide - Purple Indoor Plants

If you're interested in purple house plants or a house plant with purple flowers read on for our pick of the bunch.

Purple-heart (Tradescantia pallida)

Attractive and durable, the bunches of narrow, pointed, purple leaves are the most striking characteristic of this tender perennial. It is a low maintenance plant which blooms constantly during the warm weather becoming covered in delicate three petalled pink flowers.

Painted Nettle (Solenostemon scutellarioides)

This variety is the only one cultivated as a house plant. The soft and velvety leaves of the 'painted nettle' come in many different color combinations but our favourite is the purple variegation.

Purple Shamrock or False Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis)

One of the most decorative house plants it opens up its leaves during the day and closes them again at night during the active growing season.

The small pinkish or white colored blooms are an attractive addition to the rich purple leaves, which are the main attraction.

Prayer Plant (Marantaceae)

Plants of the Marantaceae family are striking and exotic with their bold leaf patterning and lush colours. The leaves have a habit of lying flat during the day, and folding in an erect position at night as if in prayer for evening vespers.

Purple Pearl (Echeveria)

Purple Pearl forms a gorgeous large rosette of purple leaves and is a fantastic low maintenance succulent that can grow up to 30cm (12") wide

Purple Shamrock (Purple Oxalis)

This striking indoor beauty has three (normally) purple heart shaped leaves sitting at the end of every stem. The overall effect looks like three butterflies joined together by their noses. These close at night which make it a fun plant to have around the house. It's dainty white flowers make for a striking contrast in the blooming season.

Moses in the Cradle (Tradescantia spathacea)

This plant has many names such as Moses-in-a-Boat, Boat Lily, Cradle Lily, Moses-in-the-Bullrushes and Oyster plant. Moses In the Cradle plants produce long, waxy, sword-shaped leaves that are purple and white striped on top and a rich purple underneath. The very small white flowers, tucked away in a purple boat shaped bract, give the plant its name. Provide this houseplant with at least 6 hours of bright light and you'll be rewarded with a wonderful display.

Rex Begonia

Rex begonia plants are kept for the beauty of their colourful leaves. They come in a large range of colours and while the flowers are insignificant the attractive combinations of silver, red, purple, white and pink foliage more than makes up for it. Although not long lasting, you will get about two years of growth and they can be propagated very easily.

African Violet (Saintpaulia)

Although difficult to manage, these plants are still very popular. With mostly rounded hairy leaves, attached to short stalks these create a neat rosette that is a fantastic background for the flowers when they appear. They prefer a warm climate rather than cold and keep them in a spot where they can receive filtered sunlight.

Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus x hybridus)

Cape Primrose is a relative of the African violet. If you keep the soil lightly moist and give it bright, indirect sun year-round, it will bloom continuously. A wonderful indoor plant with purple flowers.