Make your Purple Heart plant even more purple with these simple tips for deeper, richer color all season long!
A purple heart can be healthy and still lose the deep violet color that made you fall for it in the first place. But before you reach for more fertilizer or change the care routine without a thought, try out these tricks. Here’s how to make the purple heart plant more purple and keep that rich shade showing up in new growth.
Where Does the Purple Color Come From
The purple color in Purple Heart plants comes mainly from anthocyanins, natural pigments found in the leaves and stems. These pigments are responsible for the plant’s purple, burgundy, and violet tones, with their intensity changing depending on growing conditions.
Now, light plays a major role in how much purple you see. Brighter light encourages greater anthocyanin production, helping the foliage develop a deeper color. And in lower light, the plant produces more green growth.
But light isn’t the whole story. Here’s what you need to pay attention to and change to get that purple shade!
How to Make Purple Heart Plant More Purple
1. Give it the Brightest Spot You Can
If your purple heart is slowly losing its color, check the light before changing anything else. This plant develops its deepest coloration in bright light. Look for an outdoor spot with 6-8 hours of direct sun, whereas indoor plants should sit close to a bright, unobstructed window.
Remember, a room may look perfectly bright to you but still be too dim for the plant to maintain its best color. If your only option is a darker room, an LED grow light will help fill that gap.
If your plant has been growing in shade, don’t suddenly move it into harsh afternoon sun. Introduce stronger light gradually and keep an eye on the new leaves. We don’t want it stressed, do we?
2. Don’t Let Fresh Growth Hide in the Shade
If you’re growing one of these in a hanging basket indoors, the top of the plant receives good light, but the newest trailing sections end up tucked underneath the older foliage or hanging in a much darker position.
Here are some useful options for quality hanging baskets. You can even try these ready-to-use trellises that help spread the stems to get even sunlight.
That means the plant may be getting plenty of sun, but not every part is receiving enough light to develop its best color.
Do this instead! Every few weeks, gently rearrange long stems so that new growth isn’t permanently shaded by older branches. If one side of the container consistently receives more light, rotate it occasionally so the plant develops evenly.
3. Keep the Roots Healthy and Prune Selectively
Give your Purple Heart a loose, well-draining potting mix with perlite or coarse material. This plant can handle some dryness, but it doesn’t like sitting in constantly wet soil. Do check out this houseplant potting mix that will make your job much easier!
When it comes to fertilizer, don’t go heavy on nitrogen. Too much nitrogen can push soft, fast green growth at the expense of that deep purple color.
Pro Tip: Phosphorus matters here, but adding extra isn’t the answer. Keeping it slightly lower gives the plant a mild stress signal that encourages more anthocyanin production. Use a fertilizer with a modest level and skip phosphorus-heavy boosters. The goal is mild stress, not a deficiency.
You should also trim the healthier, more vigorous ends and root the cuttings in the same pot to create fresh growth. It’ll keep the plant bushier, fill the pot, and give you a neater look instead of a leggy appearance.
Here is a purple heart plant flowering guide that you might need later!
4. Watch The Seasons Before Assuming
These purple plants can look different from one season to another. Outdoor plants generally receive much stronger light during the brighter part of the growing season, and the indoor ones experience a major drop in light during winter.
So if your plant seems less purple in winter, don’t immediately assume that something is wrong. Check whether its light exposure has changed.
If you’re growing it indoors through the colder months, move it closer to the brightest available window or supplement the natural light.
Once stronger light returns and new growth develops, the richer color returns as well.
With the right amount of light and nutrition, your purple plants can keep producing fresh colors. Give it time, keep an eye on the new leaves, and let the plant’s growing conditions do the work!
If you want to learn some more interesting facts about how light can affect a plant’s growth, check out this guide on Amazon: Gardening Under Lights
