Are there any large purple or red leaves houseplants?

Panayiotis

Hello everyone,

been lurking on these pages for years getting advice, it's my most visited forum out there! Was hoping you kind people might be able to help me find a tall (hopefully up to 1.8m or so eventually) houseplant that is ideally purple or red leaved, but failing that maybe something with very prominent white variegation. 

I'm basically looking for something to put between the monstera i have and the devil's ivy that will break up the colour. Ideally something with the red leaves of a red aglaonema, or if the purple or pink calatheas reached that size, oxalis triangularis, polka dot plant i love all these but they're tiny of course. I considered the red mambo ti, but the pink variegation only lasts a little on the new leaves. Same as the pink princess. I'm about to receive a purple colocasia but it's a bulb, could take many years to get big and they go dormant in the winter too and need cut to ground. I have a strobilanthes already on my other spot and its fuchsia undersides are beautiful and really do break up the greenness on that corner, so if no other suggestions come i could get a 2nd one of them but ideally something different would be exciting.

I've looked and amateur-researched for years with no luck, so maybe there is nothing like that out there but if there is I'm sure someone here will know! The room incidentally is bright but i can shade from direct sun.

Many thanks in advance!

B3

I seem to remember a reddish looking rubber plant

Panayiotis

Hi B3, the ficus elastica has pink leaves just as they emerge for about a week or so, then it's all green (with some white- still gorgeous). But if there is a redder looking one I'm unaware of would be amazing news!

B3

I doubt it. They always looked brownish to me. I'd beware of the vibrant looking ones on internet. I suspect they've been photoshopped

wild edges

philippa smith2 said:

is there any way you could either fix a shelf between which would allow you to look at shorter plants of the desired colour ? Or a hanging basket - again between your 2 tall plants.

Some tradescantia would fit the bill well too. Zebrina is an obvious choice for a dark red but there are some larger leafed species too which a bit more purpley.

BobTheGardener

If you keep removing flowers, Coleus will keep on growing and there are some taller varieties, like this one:

https://rosydawngardens.com/coleus-e-to-k/glinda?cPath=41&zenid=ugdm9d9mf499mk0lbeq51g0fd4

Panayiotis

Hi again folks many thanks for your kind replies! Philippa, I'm considering the tower of plants idea, I would prefer a big singular one as I'm not a huge fan of shelves in general but it's definitely an option if this current effort to find a big purple proves fruitless...or should i say foliageless? There are a lot of great options for smaller plants with gorgeous unusual foliage, but as it's quite a few feet away from the sofa the big leaved ones look nicer from a distance to me. Incidentally bought some gorgeous coleus seeds just the other day can't wait to see how they do! How can I upload images here to show you the space, is it easy? Also do begonias die down in the winter indoors? Wild edges- i do have a purple heart whose colour is amazing. It's too small still and I see they generally trail but maybve i could train them upright with canes??? The colour is perfect for what i would like. BobThe Gardener, the coleus seeds I got are for this: do you think with regular pinching this could 6ft grow tall and cover a wall?? Would be amazing! But the one you suggested looks stunning too I'll see if i can get one here in the uk! Thank you! https://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/Flower-Seed/Coleus-Seed/Coleus-Chocolate-Covered-Cherry-Seeds.html?ccode=F20PGP&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0pfzBRCOARIsANi0g0v8fgyxFcXrO3ON2eZPlpNVxHDdMDlVV3BBJCnNqkURFObod1Aic7UaAuVFEALw_wcB&whence= Thanks everyone this is exciting haha!

wild edges

Have you looked at indoor cordylines?

https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/cordyline-tango-house-plant/TKA2884TM?source=google-prodex&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy96vopSg6AIVTEPTCh3ydACuEAQYAiABEgKfjfD_BwE

http://https//hortology.co.uk/products/cordyline-fruticosa-mambo-hawaiian-ti-plant?variant=6989897629760&currency=GBP&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google+shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy96vopSg6AIVTEPTCh3ydACuEAQYBSABEgKW2PD_BwE 

http://https//www.gardens4you.co.uk/house-plants/other/cordyline-fruticosa-mambo-13cm-pot-gb-en.html

Panayiotis

Hi wild edges and thank you again for your response. I have, it's the red mambo ti I mentioned in my original post. If leaves stayed that pink/purple they emerge in I would have gone for one for sure but it's just the top of the cane that will look purple which puts me off a little.