Light
Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux
Asteraceae
Gynura aurantiaca
- Curated selection:
Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
- “Get What You See” items:
If you are buying the exact plant shown in the photos, this is clearly stated in the size section.
- Individual photos:
One‑off photos are only provided when this is explicitly mentioned in the size section. - For special traits or small quirks, please check the full product description.
VAT included · plus
Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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Gynura aurantiaca
Quick Care Guide
Watering
Water when ~20–35% dry
Substrate
Moisture-retentive but aerated • Evenly moist • Organic-leaning • Fine-medium
Temperature
Ideal: 18–25 °C • Avoid below: 10 °C
Humidity
Humid 60–80 % +
Growth habit
Trailing or scrambling herbaceous perennial.
Support
optional
Growth speed
High
Max size indoors
Max. trail length: 120 cm • Max. spread: 120 cm
Toxicity & safety
Non-toxic
Origin & habitat
Native from Sumatra to Jawa, Sulawesi
Outdoor growing
Outside from 15 °C · sheltered spot
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Gynura aurantiaca
Gynura aurantiaca, often sold as Purple Velvet Plant or Purple Passion Plant, is grown for the soft violet hairs covering its leaves and stems. The leaves underneath are green, but the dense purple hairs create the rich colour. Fresh growth shows the strongest purple in bright, filtered light.
The stems start upright, then lean, trail or sprawl as they lengthen. Pinching the tips keeps the plant denser, while longer stems can hang from a raised pot, hanging pot or shelf.
Purple hairs, soft stems and orange flowers
- Leaf texture: Dense purple hairs create a soft, velvety surface.
- Growth habit: Soft stems trail, lean or sprawl with age.
- Colour: Strongest on young leaves in bright, indirect light.
- Flowers: Orange-yellow flower heads, often removed indoors because of their smell.
- Native range: Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi.
- Plant family: Asteraceae, the daisy family.
- Pet safety: Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Warm growth and sensitive leaf hairs
Gynura aurantiaca grows in warm, humid regions where moisture is available but the roots still need air. A heavy, wet mix blocks oxygen around the fine roots and can rot them quickly.
The hairy leaf surface marks easily. Water sitting on the leaves, rough handling and crowded stems can flatten the hairs and leave visible patches. Water near the substrate and leave space around the stems so the surface stays clean and velvety.
Fuller purple growth
- Light: Bright, indirect light gives new leaves the strongest colour. Harsh midday sun can mark the surface.
- Watering: Keep the mix lightly moist without letting it turn soggy.
- Lower-light months: Reduce watering while growth slows.
- Humidity and airflow: Moderate humidity and steady airflow suit the hairy leaves.
- Substrate: Use an airy houseplant mix that drains well but still holds some moisture.
- Pot choice: Hanging pots and raised planters give the stems room to trail.
- Temperature: Keep the plant warm and away from cold drafts.
- Feeding: Feed lightly while fresh stems and leaves are forming.
- Pruning: Pinch stem tips to keep the plant compact and branched.
- Flowers: Remove buds before they open if the smell is unwanted indoors.
- Propagation: Stem cuttings root readily in warm, lightly moist conditions.
- Renewal: Older plants often lose density, so fresh cuttings are the easiest way to replace tired stems.
Leggy stems, dull colour and marked leaves
- Leggy growth: Weak light or long, unpinched stems are the usual reasons.
- Dull colour: Older leaves fade naturally, and low light weakens the colour on new growth.
- Drooping: A dry root ball and stale wet substrate can both leave stems limp.
- Root rot: Fine roots suffer in heavy substrate that stays wet too long.
- Marked leaves: Water on the hairy surface leaves visible patches.
- Crisp edges: Check for dry roots, heat or very dry air.
- Pests: Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites and mealybugs gather on soft growth.
Pets, children and trailing stems
Gynura aurantiaca is non-toxic to cats and dogs. Chewing can still upset the stomach and damage the soft stems, so keep trailing growth out of reach.
Orange flowers in the name
Gynura refers to the long, tail-like stigma of the flower. The species name aurantiaca means orange-coloured, referring to the orange-yellow flower heads.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
Gynura aurantiaca
Sale price€8,75
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Gynura aurantiaca
Sale price€8,75
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