A delicate bloom peaks out among the purple foliage to meet the morning with a hue of soft pink.
Before planting the Purple Queen (Tradescantia pallida), in my backyard, I hardly took notice of this resilient plant on neighboring properties. It was simply not on my plant radar. However, this drought tolerant, ever-blooming plant stole my heart once I put it in the ground.
At the end of one of my visits to my grandmother's house, she sent me on my way with three small pots of these purple queens dug up from her yard. I will mention that my grandmother lives in Northern Central Florida where huge trees and dappled sunlight is the norm for home gardens. For this reason, I never noticed this modest plant growing low to the ground among other dense foliage in her yard. Bringing it to South Florida was one of the best decisions I made.
As the three plants established themselves and began to branch out by trailing along the ground over landscaping edging and weaving itself in between the foliage of my Allamanda bushes, I decided to trim them back for a neater look. In the trimming process, I considered how I may use the cuttings for future use in my garden. After some research regarding how to root this plant, I learned that I can make quick use of cuttings just by placing the cut end of the plant directly into the soil.
Here's how to quickly spread this lovely lady throughout your yard.
Step 1
Obtain several cuttings from an existing plant.
Step 2
Select a moist area in your yard -- in front of taller plants or shrubs, around a mailbox or in a pot for instance. Remove any grass or weeds.
Step 3
Dig a small hole and place your cutting directly in the soil with the cut side down. You can even place multiple stems in one hole for a fuller look. These plants will root
in the ground on their own.
Step 4
Cover the soil with mulch or wood chips and water the plant and mulch thoroughly.
Water as often as needed to keep the soil moist until established.
Step 5
Continue to take cuttings as it grows in order to transplant in the same area for more ground coverage or in other areas of the garden. Frequent pruning produces fuller leaves for a bushier look.
Garden Photos
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