As a species succulents bring a rich depth of choice. Their form, scale, and color all add to what I can only describe as the most intriguing plant form on earth.
These botanical aliens are growing in popularity and more people are asking us to define sub-section of this plant group. So, due to many requests here’s a list of our favorite purple succulents. From the delicious lobes of Echeveria Purple Pearl, through to the statuesque structure of the most purple cactus plants… the Prickly Pear.
- Aeonium Arboreum ‘Zwartkop’ (Black Rose)
- Aeonium 'Velour'
- Anacampseros rufescens
- Echeveria Black Prince
- Echeveria Lilacina
- Purple Echeveria Perle Von Nürnberg
- Echeveria Purple Pearl
- Echeveria Taurus
- Graptoveria ‘Debbie’
- Houseleek' Raspberry Ice'
- Lithops Optica ‘Rubra’
- Mangave ‘Mission To Mars’
- Moonstones (Pachyphytum oviferum)
- Opuntia Santarita ‘Santa Rita Prickly Pear’
- Pleiospilos Nelii ‘Royal Flush’
- Purple Aeonium Atropurpureum
- Red Carpet Sedum
- Sedum dasyphyllum
- Sempervivum Tectorum
- Sempervivum ‘Purple Beauty’
- Sempervivum Dark Beauty
- Sedum Purple Emperor
- Tradescantia Pallida ‘Purple Heart’
- Purple Succulents Summary
Aeonium Arboreum ‘Zwartkop’ (Black Rose)
With its beautiful dark purple foliage, the Black Rose has striking rosettes with waxy leaves. These rosettes look like a flower head, hence the name black rose. If you want to add a unique shape and color to your succulent garden, these plants are a perfect choice. Just remember to provide them with plenty of sunlight to maintain their dark purple color.
- Origin: Holland
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 3 feet
- Watering: Once a week from spring to fall
- Light: full sun
- Best temperature: above freezing
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: Feed with a 10-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer from May-September
- Soil: well-drained and slightly acidic
- Common problems and pests: aphids: to treat spray neem oil
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Aeonium ‘Velour’
This perennial succulent grows upright and produces dense clusters of attractive rosettes. Each leaf is shaped like oval paddles in a shade of green when young. As the plant matures, the leaves turn to a bright purple flower head-like display
- Origin: North Africa and the Canary Islands
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 3 feet
- Watering: only when soil is dry
- Light: full sun or partial shade
- Best temperature: 65-75F, don’t like hot or dry weather
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: Apply a half-strength balanced fertilizer every month during the growing season
- Soil: well-draining
- Common problems and pests: root rot can be prevented if the soil has good drainage
Anacampseros rufescens
These succulents are very hardy and can withstand most outdoor conditions. Their color ranges from dark-red and green to purple. They produce dense rosettes with fleshy foliage in the shapes of spoons. These eye-catching succulents start out in dark green color before developing into a deep shade of purple.
- Origin: South Africa
- Family: Anacampserote
- Potential growth height: 2 inches
- Watering: at least once a week during the growing season, reduce in winter
- Light: full sun to partial shade
- Best temperature: higher than 36F
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: 10-10-10 formula once a week during the growing season
- Soil: well-draining, sandy
- Common problems and pests: none
Echeveria Black Prince
The beautiful Black Prince is a highly popular dark green, deep purple succulent for growing indoors and outdoors. In closer inspection, you can see hints of yellowish-green in the rosettes spreading outward. The more sun exposure the plant receives, the darker purple its leaves turn into.
- Origin: Mexico
- Family: Echeveria
- Potential growth height: 10 inches
- Watering: moderately
- Light: full sun to partial shade
- Best temperature: min 20F
- Humidity: dry to medium moisture
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: loam and sandy
- Common problems and pests: none
Echeveria Lilacina
Commonly known as ghost echeveria, Lilacina is a slow-growing succulent with rosette-shaped purple foliage. It produces coral pink blooms during the growing season and doesn’t tolerate humid conditions.
- Origin: Mexico
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 6 inches
- Watering: only when soil is dry
- Light: partial sun
- Best temperature: 65-70F
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: liquid fertilizer during spring and summer
- Soil: cactus mix
- Common problems and pests: poor watering habits can damage the plant
Purple Echeveria Perle Von Nürnberg
A very popular cactus hybrid that’s hardy and beautiful, this echeveria boasts rosette-shaped foliage with purple and blue tinges and bright coral pink flowers. These colors intensify the more sunlight the plant receives.
- Origin: Germany
- Family: Echeveria
- Potential growth height: 10 inches
- Watering: sparingly
- Light: bright location, full sun or partial shade
- Best temperature: can withstand below freezing
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: well-draining, sandy
- Common problems and pests: none
Echeveria Purple Pearl
Echeveria Purple Pearl is cherished for its attractive foliage, which looks like fleshy paddles with tips. Each leaf is olive-green with purple edges. This succulent is a low-maintenance plant and requires very little care.
- Origin: Mexico
- Family: Echeveria
- Potential growth height: 6 inches
- Watering: only when soil is dry
- Light: full sun to partial shade
- Best temperature: prefers a warm climate
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: feed on from spring to early fall
- Soil: sandy, well-draining
- Common problems and pests: poor watering habits can wilt the leaves
Echeveria Taurus
Ideal as both indoor and outdoor succulent, Taurus blooms during the summer and produces stunning red and yellow flowers on its long stalk. This succulent has bulky and large purple triangular leaves and makes a wonderful addition to any garden.
- Origin: Mexico
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 12 inches
- Watering: only when soil is dry
- Light: full sun
- Best temperature: 65-80F
- Humidity: average
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: well-drained, light, and sandy
- Common problems and pests: poor watering habits can cause wilting of foliage
Graptoveria ‘Debbie’
Debbie is a dark purple succulent that ranges from pale green tinges to lilac. This plant loves warm climates and is perfectly safe around pets and children. It adapts especially well indoors but does require a lot of light.
- Origin: South Africa
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 8 inches
- Watering: only when soil is dry
- Light: full sun
- Best temperature: not cold hardy
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: once during the growing season
- Soil: a mixture of peat and sand
- Common problems and pests: overwatering can cause root rot or death
Houseleek’ Raspberry Ice’
Raspberry Ice (Sempervivum) is a dense succulent perennial with a low mound of foliage. This short plant has small rosettes that start off as red and mature into purple-red. The lightly cobwebbed pointy leaves emerge in spring and intensify in color throughout the season.
- Origin: Mexico
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 2 inches
- Watering: regularly during spring and summer
- Light: full sun
- Best temperature: 65-70F
- Humidity: average
- Fertilizing: a control-release liquid fertilizer at the start of the growing season
- Soil: well-drained succulent mix
- Common problems and pests: none
Lithops Optica ‘Rubra’
Lithops are very slow-growing succulents with thick, pebble-like foliage in reddish-purple color. The plant’s stem is so short it can’t be seen from the side. During the blooming season, each pair of leaves produce a white flower.
- Origin: Namibia (South-west Africa)
- Family: Aizoaceae
- Potential growth height: 5cm
- Watering: infrequently during the growing season only
- Light: bright sunlight
- Best temperature: 65-75F
- Humidity: plenty of fresh air
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: sandy and loamy
- Common problems and pests: overwatering can cause leaf swelling
Mangave ‘Mission To Mars’
This perennial succulent produces showy rosettes and lance-shaped foliage. The deep purple leaves are sharp-pointed with edges that curl inwards. The plant grows well in containers and gardens as an eye-catching focal point.
- Origin: North America
- Family: Agavaceae
- Potential growth height: 10 inches
- Watering: only when soil is dry
- Light: full sun to partial shade
- Best temperature: above 60F
- Humidity: very low
- Fertilizing: half-strength fertilizer in summer
- Soil: well-draining
- Common problems and pests: none
Moonstones (Pachyphytum oviferum)
Also called sugar almond plant, Moonstones (Pachyphytum oviferum) is a beautiful succulent boasting pink, fat pebble-like foliage covered with a thin layer of white powder. This is a very popular succulent due to its unique appearance and stunning color.
- Origin: Mexico
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 10cm
- Watering: regularly during warmer months
- Light: full sun
- Best temperature: hardy down to 25F
- Humidity: around 40%
- Fertilizing: Feed monthly in spring and summer
- Soil: well-drained potting soil with grit
- Common problems and pests: mealybugs: to treat, apply neem oil. Root rot is caused by overwatering
Opuntia Santarita ‘Santa Rita Prickly Pear’
Also called Purple Prickly Pear, these appropriately named succulents are highly sought after because of their round, colorful paddle-like foliage. Their purplish tones make them very distinctive among cactus species, and the pads grow upright as a bushy shrub. The Prickly Pear is the king of the purple cactus plants. If you have space in your backyard they’re a treat.
- Origin: New Mexico and Southern Arizona
- Family: Cactaceae
- Potential growth height: 6 feet
- Watering: twice a month in summer and once in winter
- Light: full sun or light shade
- Best temperature: above 15F
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: well-drained
- Common problems and pests: cochineal scale or mealybugs: to treat, spray with insecticide
Pleiospilos Nelii ‘Royal Flush’
The petite Royal Flush is a unique purple succulent with two to four leaves and deep grooves in the centers. The foliage boasts a rich, purple color covered in raised dots. This plant produces a white flower and is highly adaptable in most environments.
- Origin: South Africa
- Family: Aizoaceae
- Potential growth height: 3 inches
- Watering: regular but light
- Light: Full to partial sun
- Best temperature: 40F
- Humidity: regular moisture through condensation or misting
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: well-draining
- Common problems and pests: none
Purple Aeonium Atropurpureum
Purple Aeonium Atropurpureum enjoys warm temperatures and is an ideal succulent to grow in containers. It can be grown as a shrub or tree thanks to its visually appealing dark purple rosettes on woody branches. These rosettes typically measure between 6 to 8 inches in width and in intense light, their purple color darkens.
- Origin: North Africa
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 4 feet
- Watering: prevent the soil from drying out in winter, but avoid watering in summer during the dormant period
- Light: full sun
- Best temperature: 65-75F
- Humidity: high
- Fertilizing: once per year in spring
- Soil: well-draining
- Common problems and pests: heat stress will cause the leaves to fall out
Red Carpet Sedum
Red Carpet (Sedum spurium) flaunts fleshy leaves that begin as red and develop into deep purple in winter. The color of this succulent further intensifies when it is exposed to bright light. This sedum has a long lifespan and requires minimal care. It can grow in a wide range of climates.
- Origin: USA
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 4 inches
- Watering: only when soil is dry
- Light: full sun to partial shade
- Best temperature: all climates
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: well-drained
- Common problems and pests: none
Sedum dasyphyllum
This perennial succulent is a low growing sedum with overlapping pale frost green and purple foliage. It produces white flowers during summer and is one of the more hardy succulents. When fully bloomed, the plant attracts lots of butterflies!
- Origin: Europe and North Africa
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 5 inches
- Watering: only when soil is dry
- Light: full sun
- Best temperature: above 40F
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: fertile
- Common problems and pests: none
Sempervivum Tectorum
Sempervivum tectorum is a low-growing evergreen succulent that looks similar to roses. It is ideal to grow in rock gardens because of its drought resistance and hardiness qualities. The fleshy, thick pads of this succulent are arranged in 4-inch rosettes with pointed, purple leaves. This is an extraordinary succulent with purple flowers that can add some interesting structure and color.
- Origin: Southern Europe
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 6 inches
- Watering: only when soil is fully dry
- Light: full sun to partial shade
- Best temperature: 65-75F
- Humidity: average
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: Sandy, well-drained
- Common problems and pests: root rot when soil is soggy
Sempervivum ‘Purple Beauty’
These little beauties have blue-green foliage and purple centers. Their leaves grow in rosette patterns and every spring, they produce little chicks that mature into their own offsets. Purple Beauty is very easy to care for and ideal for even the most inexperienced green-thumbed enthusiast.
- Origin: USA
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 3 inches
- Watering: infrequently
- Light: Full or partial sun
- Best temperature: cool climates
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: well-draining
- Common problems and pests: wet soil conditions can cause root and crown rot
Sempervivum Dark Beauty
Known as one of the easiest succulents to grow, Dark Beauty is drought and neglect tolerant. It makes a perfect container plant and will even look beautiful on rock walls. The tiny, fleshy dark purple leaves appear in a circle around the mother in the center.
- Origin: UK
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 8 inches
- Watering: very little
- Light: full sun or partial shade
- Best temperature: under 80F
- Humidity: low
- Fertilizing: control-release fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season
- Soil: loamy and well-draining
- Common problems and pests: wet soil can cause death
Sedum Purple Emperor
The tough but stunning perennial, Purple Emperor produces showy purple leaves and lots of pink flowers in summer. This shrub-like succulent attracts bees and butterflies, thus a perfect choice to grow in gardens and borders. The flowers fade in fall, but the foliage remains throughout winter. This is one of my personal favorite purple succulents, with its majestic presence and bright pink floral crowns.
- Origin: UK
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Potential growth height: 15 inches
- Watering: Keep the soil moist
- Light: full sun
- Best temperature: can withstand below freezing
- Humidity: dry to medium moisture
- Fertilizing: not necessary
- Soil: sandy, rocky, or clay
- Common problems and pests: disease-resistant once established
Tradescantia Pallida ‘Purple Heart’
Want to add a pop of purple color to your containers? Then consider growing the popular evergreen perennial, Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida) indoors or in your garden. This plant boasts long, narrow, purple leaves that are oval-shaped and produce purple flowers in the summer months.
- Origin: Mexico
- Family: Commelinaceae
- Potential growth height: 1 foot
- Watering: only when soil is dry
- Light: full sun to partial shade
- Best temperature: 60-70F
- Humidity: 40%
- Fertilizing: monthly when actively growing
- Soil: clay, loam, sandy
- Common problems and pests: virtually pest-free, but watch for vine weevil
Purple Succulents Summary
There’s a variety of purple succulents available for growing indoors in succulent pots, or outdoors in deserts borders. Okay not all of them will be deep purple foliage all throughout the year, but you will find something to suit your growing conditions. Whether it’s one of the prickly purple cactus plants or maybe a small and cute succulent with purple flowers, they are all easy to grow if you can match their natural environment and growing conditions.
