Has anyone noticed that purple houseplants seem to grow a little slower than their green counterparts? I just got a Tradescantia ‘Purple Heart’ and a purple Oxalis and both seem to take their time compared to my pothos and spider plants. I started thinking: is there something about the purple pigment (anthocyanin?) that changes how much light they can use or store? Or maybe they just have naturally slower growth habits?
Could this be true for other purple foliage plants like certain Calatheas or even purple-leaf succulents? I haven’t seen this exact thing discussed-lots of care tips for “colorful” plants, but not about their growth rates specifically.
Anyone notice this? Or have I just gotten lazy purple plants? Would love to hear if people have experimented with different levels of light or fertilizer to speed them up without losing the color!