How to care for Purple Passion Plant
Gynura aurantiaca · Asteraceae
A fast-growing trailing plant whose green leaves are covered in velvety purple hairs that glow in good light. It is grown purely for that fuzzy foliage, since the small orange flowers smell unpleasant and are usually pinched off. Young plants are the most vivid, so most growers restart from cuttings every year or two. Water roughly every 5 days while it's growing (about every 9 in winter), give it bright, indirect light, kept above 55°F (13°C) — average room humidity suits it.
Care at a glance
Water the soil directly when the top few centimeters dry, keeping water off the fuzzy leaves, which spot easily.
Bright light close to a window keeps the purple fuzz intense; in dim spots the color fades to plain green.
Half-strength balanced liquid feed during spring and summer.
Mistakes that kill this plant
- Overwatering, which rots the soft stems at soil level.
- Letting it dry out repeatedly until stems shrivel and leaves crisp.
- Keeping it in low light until it stretches into a leggy green shadow of itself.
Seasonal tips
- Pinch growing tips regularly in spring and summer for a fuller plant.
- Take cuttings in spring to replace older plants that have lost their color.
- Pinch off flower buds unless you enjoy their odd smell.
Is it safe for pets?
Our records list Purple Passion Plant as non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Full pet-safety details for cats & dogsCare for your Purple Passion Plant on autopilot
Ploomily turns this guide into a Living Schedule — watering tuned to your city’s climate, the season, the pot and the light, and feeding tuned to that same pot, drainage and light, following the growing season and pausing while the plant rests. The founding price in force today is shown in full before you confirm, and locked for as long as you stay subscribed — with 30 days to change your mind.
Build my Living SchedulePurple Passion Plant is featured in
More foliage plants
Toxicity here is informational, not a safety guarantee. Those are our own records, compiled by following the ASPCA's published toxic and non-toxic plant lists and Pet Poison Helpline's plant poison list rather than copied from them — confirm anything that matters against the ASPCA's published lists, which this one is matched to, or with your vet. If your pet ingested this plant, contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.