14 Plants With Purple and Green Leaves for Your Garden

Plants with purple and green leaves are becoming more and more admired and prized nowadays. Aside from giving your garden a splash of unique and interesting combinations of colors, most of them can be grown as indoor plants, too.

Take a look at the list we have provided below, and discover the types of plants with purple and green leaves that are ideal to grow indoors, together with a plant care guide that can be useful as you grow your garden.

List of Gorgeous Plants With Purple and Green Leaves

1. Purple Passion Plant

Plants with two-tone leaves will definitely give your garden or interior living space a pop of lovely and vibrant colors that will make it more appealing and attractive. If you are one of those garden enthusiasts who tend to look for foliage plants with purple and green leaves, then you may be interested in this first plant we have.

Purple passion plant, scientifically known as Gynura aurantiaca, is a species that belongs to the Asteraceae family native to Southeast Asia. The Purple passion or Velvet plants can be grown as house plants and can also be perfect on gardens or patios.

2. Purple Oxalis Plant

Purple oxalis is also known as False shamrock or Purple shamrock. It belongs to the family Oxalidaceae that is native to different countries in South America. Purple oxalis has trifoliate leaves, and one of its unique characteristics is that its leaves fold down during the night, when in the scorching sun, or when disturbed.

3. Rex Begonia

 Rex Begonia is a species of flowering plant belonging to the Begoniaceae family. It is indigenous to southeast China but has been introduced to several countries and is a parent to over 500 cultivars. Rex begonia is exclusively grown for its variegated foliage as its flowers tend to be small, and growers commonly pinch off the blooms to encourage bushier growth.

4. Ti Plant

Cordyline fruticosa, with the common names Ti plant, Palm lily, and Cabbage palm, is an evergreen flowering plant. It is grown for food, traditional medicine, and as an ornamental plant because of its different colored and fast-growing foliage in shades of red, pink, green, and purple.

5. Purple Heart Plant

The Purple Heart plant is native to eastern Mexico and widely grown as an ornamental plant for its elongated and pointed pale purple-colored foliage. This makes an excellent choice for borders, gardens, hanging plants, or ground cover.

6. Potato Vine

Potato vine or Solanum laxum belongs to the Solanaceae family of evergreen vines native to South America. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant and prized for its climbing vine and jasmine-like fragrance. It is also easy to do plant care for and easy to grow.

7. Purple Waffle Plant

The Purple waffle plant is another selection among purple houseplants. It is also commonly known as red-flame ivy and red ivy from the Acanthaceae family. The Purple waffle plant is a tropical perennial that grows up to 6 inches tall and 8 inches wide and makes excellent indoor plants.

8. Elephant Ear Plant

Elephant Ear, Taro, and Coco yam are the common names of Colocasia, a genus of flowering plants from the Araceae family. They are typically grown for their foliage rather than their flowers. Elephant Ear is also cultivated for culinary purposes.

9. Oyster Plant

Oyster plant, Boatlily, or Moses-in-the-cradle Plant is Tradescantia spathacea from the Commelinaceae family. It is native to Mexico and naturalized in several countries. Oyster plant is widely cultivated for its easy-to-grow and beginner-friendly characteristics.

10. Weigela Florida

Weigela florida is a genus with over 38 species of deciduous shrubs that are native to eastern Asia. This genus is named after Christian Ehrenfried Weigel, a German scientist. Weigela florida is cultivated as an ornamental plant and became a popular selection when it comes to ornamental landscaping for its dense shrubs, light pink blooms, and easy-to-care characteristics.

11. Wandering Jew

Tradescantia zebrina, also known as Wandering Jew and Silver inch plant, is famous for its lovely foliage and fast-growing ability. It is one of the simplest indoor plants to grow and can also be perfect as ground cover.

12. Japanese Barberry

Berberis thunbergii or Japanese Barberry is native to Japan and eastern Asia. It is a species of flowering plant from the Berberidaceae family. Japanese barberry is typically invasive, but with the right maintenance, such as pruning, this plant will add more beauty to your garden.

13. Prayer Plant

The Prayer plant or Maranta leuconeura is a low-growing tropical plant native to Brazil. It has a unique habit of folding its leaves together at night, which resembles praying hands, hence its name. Due to its low growing ability, the prayer plant is perfect for indoors at any time of the year.

14. Orpine

Sedum telephium is a succulent perennial plant also known for its various common names Orpine, Livelong plant, Witch’s Moneybag, Life-everlasting, Live-forever, and Alpine. It is considered a forgiving and low-maintenance plant as it has the ability to regenerate from a single leaf, hence the common names.

Conclusion

Though unique in color, there is a long list when it comes to the selection of plants with purple leaves and green leaves that you may choose from and can be ideal indoors and outdoors.

• The Purple waffle plant, Ti plant, Rex begonia, and prayer plant are the best selections for attractive foliage to grow indoors.
• Though they are invasive, the best choices for ornamental landscaping are the Potato vine, Japanese Burberry, Purple Heart plant, and Purple passion plant.
• The Wandering Jew, Oyster plant, Rex begonia, and Prayer plant have the most decorative foliage among the list.
• You can rely on the Elephant Ear and Weigela florida if you are looking for attractive tall plants for your garden.

Whichever plant you choose from the list, we bet you can never go wrong as the combination of purple leaves and green leaves complement each other very well.

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