Plant Bio

Gynura is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae endemic to Asia. The best-known species is Gynura aurantiaca, often grown as a house plant. This plant is commonly known as “purple passion” because of the velvety purple leaves. Growing purple passion houseplants (Gynura aurantiaca) offers an unusual and attractive houseplant for the brightly lit indoor area. The young purple passion plant has velvety leaves; thick, deep purple hairs on a green colored leaf and a cascading habit, making it perfect for an inside hanging basket. Purple passion houseplants have been used for indoor decoration for more than 200 years.

Place the purple passion plant in bright to moderate light, but don’t allow direct sunlight to reach the leaves. Brighter light intensifies the purple color of purple passion plant. Purple passion houseplants prefer a cool location; optimum temperatures for the purple passion plant are 60 to 70 F. (16-21 C.). Keep the soil moist but avoid letting the roots stand in soggy soil. Avoid wetting the foliage, as the hairy leaves can trap moisture and begin to rot. Purple passion houseplants may produce orange flowers; however, their odor is unpleasant. Many gardeners snip off the buds to avoid the smelly blooms. Flowers are a sign the plant has reached maturity; be sure to start cuttings if you’ve not already got them growing. Fertilize every two weeks from spring through fall as part of velvet plant care. Fertilize monthly during winter.