Waffle Plant Care: [Complete Beginner’s Guide]

The waffle plant also referred to as the purple waffle plant or Hemigraphis Alternata, has rumpled leaves that resemble Belgian waffles. Its leaves are bright green on the outside and rich purple on the inside. This tropical plant, native to Java, is also known as red flame ivy, graveyard plant, metal leaf plant, and red ivy.

Cultivate purple waffle plants in bright to medium light. The plant can lose some of its deep purple hues if it does not receive enough light. It may bleach and have sunburned-looking leaves as a houseplant if it receives too much direct sunlight. Water the plant just enough to maintain moist soil.

In regions without frost, waffle plants could be cultivated as a perennial; however, in other regions, it is typically planted as an annual in flower beds. Due to its well-known, outstanding air-purifying abilities, it also serves as an excellent interior houseplant.

Waffle Plant Care

A charming tiny houseplant with vibrant foliage like the purple waffle plant makes a lovely year-round decoration to your house or place of work. Purple waffle plants are attractive and simple to grow indoors. Waffle plants are the perfect indoor decoration for tables, worktops, and workstations due to their diminutive size.

Waffle plants are low-growing so you can use them as a groundcover for taller indoor plants like Ficus trees. With the right container, you can highlight the unusual foliage of purple waffle plants. Clay pots provide a great contrast to the purple leaves, although you can also use containers in colors of purple, yellow, blue, or pink to make a strong statement.

The crimson ivy or purple waffle plant is a tropical plant with a low, extending growth pattern and lovely oval foliage with purple undersides and gray-green tops. Although the little white flowers that bloom in the summer are pretty, the gorgeous foliage takes center stage.

Purple waffle plants often develop slowly and are spring-planted from nursery beginnings. Although pruning is rarely necessary for outside plants, annual trimming may benefit indoor houseplants. Despite having an exotic appearance, purple waffle plants are surprisingly simple for beginners to manage.

The success of this tropical plant depends on mild temperatures and regular hydration. Waffle plants prefer a thick, humus-rich soil, which you can amend as needed with fertilizer every month. In warm climates, the waffle plant can be grown as a perennial ornamental grass in the garden, as an annual in colder climes, or as a houseplant in any window.

The waffle plant readily expands by roots at leaf nodes in areas where it is a perennial. These plants continue to develop in a small size in regions where it is annual. Purple waffle plants make great hanging baskets or patio container examples. They perform the role of the following plant or “spiller” when planted with other tropical plants.

The purple waffle plant thrives in bright ambient lighting or partial outdoor sun. The cold, glossy shimmer of the foliage could also diminish in direct sunlight, which can also cause the margins of the foliage to sear or the hue to bleach. However, if the plant does not receive enough light, its deep purple hue may fade.

Artificial lighting is also beneficial for purple waffle plants. Give purple waffle plants moist soil and manure or leaf mold to enhance and lighten the soil when growing them as a garden perennial or annual. The waffle plant is content if it is moist. It should have moist, well-drained soil.

It is not necessary to saturate the plants to the discharge point. Instead, irrigate the plants like you would a wrung-out sponge to obtain this amount of wetness. Add water-absorbing rocks to the topsoil to keep moisture in the soil if your area is particularly dry or you cannot guarantee regular irrigation.

Purple waffle plants increase in the vegetation of jungle habitats that are nutrient-rich from decomposing leaves. Use plant fertilizers to reproduce these nutrient-rich growing conditions. A gradual 6-12-6 houseplant fertilizer will provide consistent nitrogen, potash, and phosphate diet for good growth.

How Big Do Waffle Plant Get

Hemigraphis Alternata, often known as the purple waffle plant, is just 6 to 8 inches tall but may produce 12 to 24 inches long stems. It looks excellent in a hanging basket. This plant has attractive glossy, dark green leaves with a purple underside.

Purple waffle, native to the jungle, is a perennial herb that reaches a height of 6 inches. It develops thick stems that can grow or encroach over the edges of hanging pots. Waffle plants are a great plant for beginners because they require little maintenance.

High humidity promotes the growth and aesthetics of these plants. Place the plant on a tray of moist pebbles if the atmosphere in your house is particularly dry. Make sure the crop is on the stones and not submerged in water.

The main source of issues is excessive watering. Make sure to remove any drained water if your plant is resting in a saucer; never keep your plant in water. Additionally, your plant cannot endure extreme dryness.

Waffle Plant Varieties

The waffle plant is available in a variety of cultivars. These other plants are less common compared to the common purple waffle. They are frequently solely produced and distributed by the business that invented and patented them; below are some types of waffle plants available.

Belgian Waffle Plant

A proprietary waffle plant called Belgian Waffle features medium-green foliage with creamy-yellow edges. The leaves’ undersides are purple. It can get approximately 12 inches wide and 6 inches tall.

Dragon’s Tongue

A low-growing plant with slender, purple-green leaves, the dragon’s tongue adds texture to any room. It is ideal for terrariums with moderate lighting. The dragon tongue expands to a size of 12 inches long and 6 inches wide.

Snow White Purple Waffle Plant

A fascinating little houseplant known as the “Snow White Waffle Plant” features light green foliage with white and pink accents. This kind has a patent on it. It can grow to be 12 inches wide and 6 inches tall.

Purple Waffle Plant

Green-purple metallic foliage with a distinctive puckered texture is present on the purple waffle plant. It can get approximately 18 inches wide and 6 inches tall.

How To Propagate Waffle Plant

The waffle plant in purple grows quite swiftly. It is necessary to repot to a larger pot if you see roots sticking up through the dirt or coming from the drainage holes. It is quite simple to grow and spread waffle plants. New roots develop at each development node as purple waffle plants extend outward in a spreading manner.

These plants are simple to grow from seed, so you can have an endless supply of plants. First, choose a stem from which to take a cutting. A few inches of the stem should be able to float in the water; use clean, sharp scissors to cut it off, and then choose a stem closer to the ground, and you might immediately see roots growing.

Once you notice new growth from your cutting, submerge it in water. Once each week, examine the water and renew it or replace it. Once you notice new growth from your cutting, plant it in a pot with moist potting soil and maintain it damp at all times. This shows that the cut has taken root and is ready to be planted in an outdoor container or garden.

Final Thoughts

When purple waffle plants are planted as indoor plants, most of the issues that arise are identical to the ones that affect many houseplants. The two most prevalent pests are whiteflies and scale. The best non-toxic technique to treat such insects is with insecticidal soaps. Every seven days, sprinkle the bottoms and tops of the foliage to eradicate the infection.