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The Purple Passion Plant (Gynura aurantiaca) is a trailing perennial which originated in Indonesia. It is only hardy in USDA zones 10-12, so it's primary use is in hanging baskets as a houseplant. The vines may grow to 8 feet long but will tend to lose their bright purple coloring if they reach this length so it is best to keep them trimmed to a length of 3 ft. or less. Pinching the growing tips will result in a much fuller plant.
Purple Passion Plants need bright light foor the brightest coloring but they must be protected from hot afternoon sun.
Keep the soil evenly moist.
Feed every 2-3 weeks with half-strength house plant food when the plant shows active growth.
They prefer a slightly acidic soil mixture, so the addition of 50% peat moss to the potting mix is helpful.
Watering and light can be reduced slightly during the dormant winter months. During this dormant period, leggy plants can be cut back drastically to produce a much fuller plant the following spring.
Gynura aurantiaca (Purple Passion Plant) is easily propagated by 3-5 inch cuttings set in soil or vermiculite or simply placed in a glass of fresh water.
Purple Passion Plant
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From: Cedar Hill Washington | Registered: Aug 2002
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I haven't had one for a while, but I guess its time to go get another one! (I used to grow lots of them when I had the nursery) Purple Passion was one of the first plants I ever had...
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From: Cedar Hill Washington | Registered: Aug 2002
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Oh what memories...my mother had a purple passion that she LOVED and it just thrived...was always SO beautiful! Thanks for the memory Mr. Bill...your's is equally as beautiful!
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Happiness, like a dessert so sweet. May life give you more than you can ever eat... *** ***
From: The Land of JOY | Registered: Apr 2004
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Hi- I have a purple passion plant I found 5 years ago at Frank's Nursery and Crafts. I was thrilled as my mother-in-law had one many years ago and I always thought it was so pretty. They are hard to find these days! Anyway, the plant I bought was only a tiny single stem in a 3 inch pot. After 4 1/2 years of feeding, repotting, pinching and trimming, It is a beautiful full plant. I was so y excited when I first saw the flower buds and my husband and I waiting anxiously for the flowers to bloom. They openned to bright orange tubular shaped flowers about 1 inch long. I have the plant on our kitchen counter and one day as I was openning mail I smelled this really stinky smell, almost like body odor. I couldn't seem to find the source. After a few days past I remembered hearing about the flowers of some plants having an unpleasent odor instead of a sweet scent as most do. I leaned over and took a big wiff, pheeew! The flowers smell like really stinky feet!!! Needless to say, I trimmed each and everyone off and plan to cut any new buds off before they have a chance to bloom! I read in another members post that her purple passion plant produces very pretty pink blossoms. So, which is it, pretty pink flowers or smelly orange flowers? Are there two different types of purple passion plants? I was only aware of one. I would have posted a pic of the plant in bloom but my son deleted the pics from our camera before I had a chance to transfer them.
From: Illinois | Registered: Sep 2005
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I have a purple passion plant. I got it from exoticangel nursery. It hasn't bloomed yet but it is only 1 summer old lol. I keep the fertilizer to a minimum since I don't want the blooms or maximum growth lol. Still I took about 6 18 inch vines off of the plant so that it didn't block the light to the rest of the house plants.
From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
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I am new so we haven't met yet. I had to reply to this post of yours because just today I bought a purple passion plant! Thanks in advance for the warning about the flower scent! Who knew? Wow!
Have a wonderful day everyone Shirl
bbbbbbbbb Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Ralph Waldo Emerson
From: Washington | Registered: Sep 2005
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Hi I'm new... I was recently given a purple passion plant. I've only had it for a couple weeks but I have already fallen in love with it. I have never been good in the past at keeping plants alive. I am so scared that I am going to kill my puple passion plant. Could you please tell me anything you know that I need to know about purple passion plants. Thank you Nicole
bbbbbbbbb Cole--Purple Passion Lover
You have to leave the past behind to move into the future......
From: Missouri, United States of America | Registered: Nov 2005
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My daughter has a Purple Passion on her sink ledge. When I went to visit her, she had cut off 2 very long stems (with leaves) and had put them in the trash! I told her to stick them in a glass of water instead, and I'd have my husband bring me some rooting compound. (She did, and he did!) By the time my husband had arrived, (travelled from AR to ID) the plant had begun to form roots. I put rooting compound on the roots, and transplanted to a container, and brought home a lovely start for my own Purple Passion! My daughter swears that the fertilizer for African Violets is the best type to use for the Purple Passion. When I got home, I transferred my Purple Passion to a pot that is designed for African Violets, and about once a week, I add a few drops of African Violet fertilizer to the water well. My Purple Passion is doing wonderfully! (I also showed my daughter and son-in-law how to pinch back the leaf buds, in order to encourage the plant to bush out a bit. So far - we are all having quite a bit of success with this plant. No blossoms yet - so can't say anything about those.
Also, when I was in ID last, I noticed that my daughter had also started some additional plants rooting in a glass of water on her kitchen window ledge.
From: Cabot, AR, USA | Registered: Jul 2006
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I used to have one of these plants, back in high school, that was given to me as a gift. I never really knew what it was, just that it looked nice hanging over my desk. Well, when I went to college I gave it to my grandmother to take care of and she killed it. I don't know how, I was terrible with it and it always thrived.
Well long story short, I finally decided that I want another and just spent the last 2 hours searching the web for the name. WHERE CAN I GET ONE?
From: Cincinnati, Ohio | Registered: Sep 2006
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The Purple Passion Plant (Gynura aurantiaca) is a trailing perennial which originated in Indonesia. It is only hardy in 
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