Purple stemmed plants are an excellent addition to your landscape or indoor living space. They add a stunning contrast to the green plants with their purple leaves and brightly colored flowers. These plants have dark purple foliage due to increased levels of anthocyanin concentrations. The list below will give you a variety of choices.
17 Purple Stemmed PlantsContents
- List of Purple Stemmed Plants
- 1. African Blue Basil
- 2. Brazilian Red Hots
- 3. Purple Heart Plant
- 4. Carolina Midnight
- 5. Coral Bells
- 6. Cerise Charm
- 7. Purple leaf Weigela
- 8. Japanese Maple
- 9. Hibiscus Dark Mystery
- 10. Philodendron Purple Congo
- 11. Purple Shamrock
- 12. Elephant Ear ‘Mojito ppp’
- 13. Onyx and Pearls Beardtongue (Penstemon)
- 14. Little Pickles Plant
- 15. Dwarf Coleus
- 16. Plectranthus plants (Plectranthus spp.)
- 17. Purple Emperor Stonecrop (Sedum Telephium)
- Conclusion
List of Purple Stemmed Plants
1. African Blue Basil
African blue basil is a basil cross between dark opal basil and camphor basil. It is a gorgeous perennial featuring deep purple stems/veining and violet flowers, which is why it’s called Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum Dark Opal.
African blue flowers profusely, making them an excellent pollinator plant. It is a must-have plant with green leaves and pink to light purple flowers. It does not produce its seeds; instead, it’s propagated through cuttings.
What you must know about this plant is that the leaves, stems, and flowers are edible, and you can use them in culinary as a seasoning. You can also make yourself a delicious pesto from this blue basil.
2. Brazilian Red Hots
Brazilian red hot, also known as Alternanthera dentate, is a very eye-catching plant with hot pink, and purple leaves, along with stems that make a colorful addition to your garden.
You can grow it outdoors or indoors as a houseplant if you provide a sunny window. When growing it outdoors, it’s best to give it full sun for the deepest coloration. It is highly tolerant to heat but requires moist, well-drained soils.
To encourage vigorous bust of color, prune this plant in late spring and late summer. It thrives in USDA 10 to 11.
3. Purple Heart Plant
The purple heart plant is a perennial species of spiderwort. It is distinguished by its elongated pointed leaves that are violet or purple. Its iconic purple stems grow to a height of two feet long, this plant even goes under the name Tradescantia Pallida.
The leaves, stems, and upper surfaces are deep purple, not striped or variegated, unlike other tradescantia varieties. It has pink or violet flowers that bloom from mid-summer to fall.
It thrives in USDA 7 through 11 as an all-year-round evergreen plant. Many gardeners choose this fast-growing plant because of its foliage, making it an ideal groundcover.
4. Carolina Midnight
Carolina midnight is one of the darkest purple plants you will encounter. It is an evergreen shrub that attracts with its glossy, dark purple/burgundy leaves and fuchsia-colored flowers.
It blooms in late winter or early spring, bringing freshness in the change of weather. You can grow it as a hedge or train it into a small tree or a background shrub.
It thrives in hardiness zones seven through 10 and grows to 12 inches tall. It requires sunlight for six hours daily and well-drained rich soils, as you provide them with these essentials it will thrive.
5. Coral Bells
Coral bells, or Huechera, are native to North America and are an evergreen perennial plant. This plant displays an array of foliage that is outstanding. The leaves could be pink-purple, plum-purple, maroon, or gloss burgundy.
The range of color combinations makes it perfect for mixed beds and containers. It thrives under full sun and in most soil types. It is best to plant it in late fall or early spring, growing at a moderate pace.
You will need to divide them regularly; otherwise, they will die out in a few years because they are short-lived perennials.
6. Cerise Charm
Cerise charm is an evergreen dwarf shrub that keeps its color all year. It has deep purple and burgundy near black foliage and bright pink flowers. The beautiful Loropetalus bloom in the late spring and withstands frost or even late freeze.
This plant grows into a rounded mound of dark foliage for small hedges or accent plants. It grows in zones seven through ten, growing to four inches tall.
Nonetheless, remember that it needs full sunlight for at least six hours and adequate water. It has few disease or pest problems keeping it healthy throughout the year.
7. Purple leaf Weigela
This is an outstanding perennial deciduous plant. It has dark purple shiny foliage and rosy-pink trumpet flowers that is a total knock-out in the garden. In spring, the vegetation is green, flushed with purple, and changes color to a deeper burgundy, of the Weigela Florida.
It is a medium-sized shrub that adds drama to your landscape or indoor garden. It also attracts hummingbirds that find it irresistible. Both the flowers and foliage of this plant hold up well when cut for the vase. You must note that it thrives in USDA four through eight, growing to four to five feet tall.
8. Japanese Maple
The Inaba Shidare maple is much loved for its compact cascading form, making it stand out. This shrub has lacey leaves and color-changing foliage for three seasons in a year.
It starts with a dark purple in the spring, which turns purplish red in summer, and finally, to a bright red in the fall.
This one is a must-have if you want a colorful shrub in your landscape. Nonetheless, it is best to plant in the late fall or early spring, and loves the intense summer sun because it makes its foliage even more vibrant. You can grow it in the garden or on the patio.
9. Hibiscus Dark Mystery
The Hibiscus dark mystery plant is native to North America. It is a super performer in all seasons. It has incredibly dark, wine-purple foliage with gorgeous nine-inch white flowers.
This plant blooms in the spring and lasts all summer. Each flower has a dark pink veining and cherry red eye. The Malvaceae is perfect for growing in extensive gardens, landscapes, or flower gardens because it is ideal for brightening up with its bloom. It thrives in zones four through ten under the full sun growing to a height of five inches.
10. Philodendron Purple Congo
The purple Philodendron is an exceptional houseplant that makes a statement wherever you grow it. It has large dark purple leaves and purple stems, the scientific name of this plant is Philodendron Rojo Congo.
Its leaves are leathery and carry a deep burgundy color that turns pinkish black, then rich green. This plant grows to a height of two feet and the same width.
It is easy to grow this plant with less maintenance and a direct sunspot for at least 6 hours a day. Water this plant only when it needs water because too much water kills it. Feed it once a month with plant food to keep it healthy.
11. Purple Shamrock
The purple shamrock plant is a bulb-type flowering plant that produces small pinkish or white blooms. It also has exceptionally purple foliage that is the star of this plant. These leaves can close when disturbed at night as a way to protect the plant.
This plant keeps multiplying into larger clumps as it grows, and it’s advisable to divide them. It does well in fertile, well-drained soils with average moisture.
If you live in USDA areas seven through eleven, you can grow this plant under shade or partial sunlight. It reaches a height of 12 inches. This plant is also known as purple wood sorrel or fake shamrock.
12. Elephant Ear ‘Mojito ppp’
The elephant ear mojito is a tropical perennial for zones eight through ten. It has large minty green elephant-ear-shaped leaves streaked, flecked, and spotted with dark purple to black.
The stems are a dark purple creating a cool tropical eye-catching vibe. This plant grows in moist to wet soils and can tolerate being submerged in water gardens. It can become invasive in warmer southern climates if left to grow without control.
When the winters kick in, it’s best to provide mulching for this plant to avoid freezing. This mulch will turn into organic manure as time goes on. Grow this Colocasia Esculenta hybrid in full sun or mostly sunny for at least eight hours daily.
13. Onyx and Pearls Beardtongue (Penstemon)
Beardtongue is native to North America and has about 250 species of flowering plants. Onyx and pearls are one of the many species that have exceptionally dark purple foliage and stems. It has white lavender tubular flowers that stand out against the backdrop of the deep colors.
This Penstemon flowers in the late spring or early summer, maintaining weeks of color and attracting hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. This perennial performs best in average moist to well-drained soils. It prefers direct sunlight for about six hours daily, growing to a height of about 42 inches.
14. Little Pickles Plant
Now the question goes, how about a succulent being one of the purple-stemmed plants?
Little pickles plant or Ruby necklace is a purple-tinged to green succulent that adorns purple stems. This beauty is topped with sweet yellow daisy-like flowers that bloom in late spring.
Scientifically known as Othonna Capensis is a plant that is a hardy evergreen perennial thriving in zones nine through 11. It reaches a height of about 36 inches, attaining the deepest foliage color during the sunny season. It enjoys plenty of sunlight but tolerates partial shade too.
Use this plant as ground cover in rock gardens or allow it to spill from containers and baskets. It is drought-resistant requiring less water to survive. Ensure you provide it with well-drained soils to keep the roots dry and free from root rot.
15. Dwarf Coleus
This plant is commonly known as coleus and is native to Australia and South East Asia. This plant has lime-green leaves that are neatly arranged opposite each other on the stem. The foliage can change color from green to dark shades or purple with a purplish-red reverse.
This colorful foliage is best for landscaping gardens and provides color in the late spring through summer. You will need to provide it with moist to average, moist soils that are fertile and well-drained.
It grows to a height of eight inches requiring partly sun and shade. You can grow it outdoors and indoors and enjoy the vibrant color change and decorative touch.
16. Plectranthus plants (Plectranthus spp.)
Plectranthus is a large genus of 85 species of soft wooded shrubs, annual or perennial plants native to Southern and tropical Africa.
It displays tall, dense spikes of tubular purple or lavender flowers above the neat mounds of dark purple stems and green foliage.
It is easy to grow in partially shaded areas like a covered patio or porch that reasonably receives filtered sunlight. It can tolerate partial sun like early morning or late evening. Provide moist, to average, well-drained soils for incredible growth. It thrives in USDA zones 10 to 11, growing to 22 inches.
17. Purple Emperor Stonecrop (Sedum Telephium)
The purple emperor has purple leaves that are eye-catching in the landscape. The vigorously growing plant features dark purple fleshy leaves growing on reddish-purple stems.
Rosy pink flowers complete the look of this plant by adding its attractiveness from midsummer to fall. This plant can grow in borders, beds, landscapes, or along walls and fences.
It thrives in zones three to seven, growing to 15 inches. It is best to grow this plant under full sun and in well-drained sandy soils. Be sure to water it frequently but not too much. Good drainage is vital for this plant as it easily suffers from root rot.
Conclusion
Purple-stemmed plants are gorgeous, making them a stunner in any garden. That’s why most gardeners are slowly warming up to grow these plants. If you would like easy-growing purple stemmed plants, you can choose little pickle plant, Carolina midnight, purple shamrock, and purple emperor, among many others.
Now that you have read all about these gorgeous plants, the question is which ones will you be buying knowing that your garden or landscape will stand out magnificently from anyone elses.
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