General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 10a -1.1 °C (30 °F) to +1.7 °C (35 °F)
Plant Height: 12 inches (30 cm) to 18 inches (45 cm)
Plant Spread: 24 inches to 40 inches (90 cm)
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Flowers: Inconspicuous
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Suitable Locations: Houseplant
Uses: Suitable as Annual
Propagation: Seeds: Provide light
Needs specific temperature: 72 ºF to 75 ºF
Days to germinate: few
Depth to plant seed: surface sow
Start indoors
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Tip
Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots

Image
Common names
  • Beefsteak Plant
  • Bloodleaf
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Iresine diffusa f. herbstii
  • Synonym: Iresine herbstii

Photo Gallery
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2021-08-26
close-up of foliage with slightly curved leaves somehow
Location: Longwood Gardens in southeast PA
Date: 2014-10-03
mass in a large annual island display
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2021-08-26
one plant in a parking lot island at a gold course
Location: Longwood Gardens in southeast PA
Date: 2014-10-03
mass in a large annual island display
Comments:
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Sep 20, 2021 10:50 AM concerning plant:
    I have only seen some of this species sold as an annual in the Midwest and Eastern USA at larger, diverse conventional nurseries or garden centers. It is native to Brazil and a perennial in such tropical climates. As an annual in the North it makes a good pot plant, a bedding plant, or even an indoor plant in a really bright exposure of a building. The red-purple leaved cultivars' common name is Beefstake-Plant or Bloodleaf, or Red Chicken-Gizzard-Plant with the rounded leaves. I'm sure the mother species has all green leaves, and it is a member of the Amaranthus (Pigweed) Family. There are some cultivars with green leaves with yellow veins or red veins. This 'Purple Lady' cultivar has red-purple leaves with red veins and is the most common selection offered in some northern garden centers of the USA. This newer cultivar was probably selected from the older cultivar of 'Brilliantissima.' The red-leaved cultivars like this one need some full sun and moist soil. The plants I found planted in parking lot islands with other annuals probably had their leaves curling from being too dry. It is propagated by cuttings.

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