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Landscaping

Purple lambari: how to care for this vibrant ornamental plant

Discover how to care for this vibrant ornamental plant and its unique characteristics to beautify your garden or indoor projects.

By Chrys Hadrian

Submitted at Mar 14, 2025, 10:00 AM

08 min de leitura
Purple Lambari (Tradescantia zebrina).

Purple Lambari (Tradescantia zebrina). (Pixabay)

The purple lambari (Tradescantia zebrina), known for its lush leaves and vibrant color, is a plant that stands out in any space. This plant not only adds a touch of color to the projects, but it is also easy to care for, making it a popular choice among both beginner and experienced gardeners.
Purple lambari (Tradescantia zebrina).

Lambari-roxo (Tradescantia zebrina). (Christian Petzold/Unsplash/Divulgação)

Origin and Characteristics


Native to Central America, this species is easily found in Brazil. The origin of the popular name "purple lambari" is due to the color of its leaves, which resemble lilac and purple tones, often seen in lambaris – little fish common in rivers and lakes. It is a creeping plant with rapid growth, common in both gardens and indoor projects. Its resistance and ability to adapt to different conditions make it a versatile and easy-to-maintain plant.

Purple Lambari Flowers (Tradescantia zebrina).

Flores de Lambari-roxo (Tradescantia zebrina). (ashitaka-f/Flickr/Divulgação)

The flowers are small, lilac or purple in color, and appear mainly at the ends of the stems. Although they are not the main attraction of this plant, the flowers – when they appear – add a delicate touch to the ensemble. Their flowering occurs during spring and summer.

Indoors or Outdoors: Where to Plant the Purple Lambari?


Adaptable, this plant can be grown both indoors and outdoors. In indoor environments, it is ideal for hanging pots, while in gardens it works well as ground cover and even in vertical gardens. Its versatility and ease of adaptation make it a perfect choice for various decoration styles. An interesting fact about the purple lambari is its ability to purify the air, thus improving the quality of the projects it is in.

The purple lambari adds a vibrant touch to window balcony, with its colorful leaves and exuberant growth.

The purple lambari adds a vibrant touch to window balcony, with its colorful leaves and exuberant growth. (Jon Orue/Flickr/Divulgação)

How to Care for the Purple Lambari


The purple lambari is an easy-maintenance plant, ideal for both beginners and those who already have experience with ornamental plant cultivation. For it to thrive, some care must be observed:

  1. Lighting: The Tradescantia zebrina prefers bright indirect light but can also tolerate partial shade. When grown indoors, it can be placed near a window, but avoid direct sunlight as it can burn its leaves.

  2. Watering: Keep the soil slightly moist but avoid waterlogging. Water the plant when the top layer of soil is dry to the touch. During winter, watering can be reduced.

  3. Temperature: The purple lambari likes mild temperatures, between 18°C and 25°C. Avoid placing it in areas with cold drafts or very hot conditions.

  4. Soil: The plant adapts to various types of soil but ideally the soil should be well-drained, light, and fertile. A mix of common soil with sand or perlite is a good option to ensure good drainage.

  5. Fertilization: Fertilize the purple lambari once a month with balanced liquid fertilizer during spring and summer, when the plant is in active growth.

Purple Lambari (Tradescantia zebrina).

Lambari-roxo (Tradescantia zebrina). (Pixabay/Divulgação)

How to Create Cuttings


To create cuttings of purple lambari, choose healthy stems that are approximately 10 to 15 cm long, cut just below a leaf or node. Remove the lower leaves, leaving only the upper ones to avoid rotting. Then, plant the cuttings directly in damp soil with good drainage or initially place them in water to facilitate rooting. In a few days, roots will appear, indicating they are ready to be transferred to a pot or final bed.
Purple Lambari.

(Blaine Box/Divulgação)

Species to Plant Together


The purple lambari is a plant that combines well with several other species, especially those that also have contrasting foliage. Plants with dark green foliage or other silver-toned ones can create a beautiful contrast with its purple and green leaves. Try combining it with:

  • Coleus: Its colorful and varied leaves complement the purple lambari well, creating an environment of strong and striking colors.
  • Pothos (Epipremnum aureum): This fast-growing plant with bright green foliage can be an excellent option to grow alongside the purple lambari, adding texture and fluidity to the garden or indoor space.
  • Fern: The delicate foliage of the fern forms a beautiful contrast with the more robust and striking leaves of the purple lambari.

CASACOR Publisher is an exclusive content creator agent, developed by the CASACOR Technology team based on the knowledge base of casacor.com.br. This text was edited by Yeska Coelho.

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