Tiny purple hairs on the leaf surface give the leaves a faint purple sheen.

The plant also has bright purple stems, making it one of the most colorful foliage plants indoors.

It grows as a trailing vine, which makes it perfect for a hanging basket.

Closeup of purple passion vine foliage

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

This evergreen perennial is a low-maintenance houseplant.

One important aspect of routine care is to prune the vines to control the size of the plant.

The average lifespan of the purple passion plant is three to five years.

Closeup of a purple passion vine floret

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Water it as often as needed to keep the soil moist, but not soggy.

Naturally, the plant needs more water during the growing season and less in winter.

Avoid overwatering it, which causes root rot.

Closeup of purple passion vine foliage

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Use pots with large drainage holes and fill them with apotting mix that contains vermiculite.

A window with northern exposure or with morning sun is a good location.

Afternoon sun is usually too strong and may cause sun damage or stress.

Closeup showing texture of the purple passion vine stems and leaves

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Too little light, on the other hand, leads to leggy growth.

Soil

Good drainage is key for the purple passion plant to stay healthy.

The soil should feel slightly moist to the touch, not wet or soggy.

Closeup of a purple passion vine floret

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Keep the plant away from cold drafts near windows and air-conditioning.

The purple passion plant should never be misted for that reason.

Also, keep it away from houseplants that require humid conditions.

In high humidity, cut back on watering to avoid too much moisture anduse a dehumidifierto reduce dampness.

They will start forming roots within two weeks.

Use a pot one size larger and exchange the soil completely if there is any sign of root rot.

Trim the rotted areas and water only lightly for the first week or two after repotting.

Cut off all damaged parts and if the problem persists, start a new plant from a healthy cutting.

After the bloom, it declines and dies.

Pinching off the blooms as soon as they appear can help prolong its life.

This is different from deadheading where you remove the spend flowers to encourage more blooms.

Bloom Months

If the plant gets ample light, the plant blooms in the fall.

What Do Purple Passion Plant Flowers Look and Smell Like?

The flowers are tiny and orange and grow in clusters.

They have an unpleasant smell and tend to be messy so most people remove them.

To produce the signature purple foliage color, the plant needs a location in bright light with filtered sun.

Cut back on the amount and frequency of fertilization or dilute the fertilizer even more.

Too much fertilizer leads to nutrient burn, and it’s better to fertilize too little than too much.

Observe your plant closely to see how it responds to its new fertilizer schedule.

Despite its stunning looks, the purple passion plant is not rare, it is a fairly common houseplant.

Yes, a purple passion plant is an excellent choice for a hanging basket.

Growing it outside is challenging because the plant needs a frost-free yet dry climate and only limited sun exposure.

It is for good reasons that it is grown as a houseplant in North America.

Although these two plants are vines, they are different plants.

Purple passion plant flowers are not very welcome since they are smelly and messy.

Thepurple passionflower(Passiflora incarnata)is a tendril-climbing vine with an unusual-looking fringy, fragrant bloom.