Plant in light shade or part sun in most any soil type and water regularly to occasionally - surprising drought tolerant for such a tropical looking plant. The leaf color varies with amount of sun and water with the best color in the brightest light. Frost hardy to 10-15° F. An interesting plant for a hanging pot or as a creeper in a rock garden. A less aggressive grower than Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart', so better as an individual specimen or potted plant than as a ground cover.

We grew this interesting plant from 2000 to 2005 after originally receiving this plant from Mike Kartuz at his Kartuz Greenhouses nursery, who listed the plant then as 'Giant Purple Heart' but in 2006 when Kartuz Greenhouses updated their website, the name was changed to Tradescantia pallida 'Kartuz Giant'. 'Kartuz Giant' is the name now listed as valid on the Tradescantia Hub Centre for Tradescantia Cultivars where other previous invalid names listed include 'Grape Ape', 'Biltmore Bimbo', 'Godzilla', 'Big Bertha', 'Mega Bertha', 'Giant' and 'Giant Purple Heart', which was the original name that Kartuz listed this plant as.

As we received it under the name 'Large Purple Heart' and, as it was the original name Kartuz listed it as, we continue to list this plant as Tradescantia pallida 'Large Purple Heart'. 

The information about Tradescantia pallida 'Large Purple Heart' that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.