The purple heart tradescantia is an ornamental plant known for its distinctive, fast-growing purple stems and narrow, lance-shaped purple leaves with a faint, silvery sheen, often covered in soft, pale hairs. It produces delicate, three-petaled flowers in shades of pink or purple with yellow stamens, though these are short-lived. The plant's deep purple color is most vibrant in full sun and can appear duller or greener in low light.