Purple Waffle Plant (Hemigraphis exotica) — Pet-Safe Houseplant

Pet-Safe · Crinkled Purple Foliage · Terrarium & Vivarium Friendly · Ships Potted or Bare Root

Overview

Add bold color and texture with the Purple Waffle Plant “Red Krinkle” (Hemigraphis exotica), a low-growing tropical foliage plant with deeply crinkled, waffle-textured leaves. The leaves are green on top with rich purple undersides, and in bright light they take on an even deeper purple tone.

The purple waffle plant is easy to care for, loves humidity, and is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. Grow it as a compact houseplant, as a spreading ground cover in terrariums and vivariums, or as a colorful accent in a hanging basket.

What You'll Receive

• 1 live Purple Waffle Plant “Red Krinkle”, hand-selected for healthy, colorful foliage
• Your choice of format:
  • Potted — arrives rooted in a 2–4 inch plastic nursery pot, ready to display or set inside a decorative planter
  • Bare Root — ships without pot or soil at a lower price, ready to plant in your terrarium or your own pot
• Nursery-grown for strong, healthy growth

Every plant is one of a kind. Leaf size, texture, and color vary naturally.

Key Features

• Crinkled, waffle-textured leaves with deep purple undersides
• Pet-safe: non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA)
• Low, spreading growth that works as a colorful terrarium ground cover
• Humidity-loving, perfect for terrariums, vivariums, and bathrooms
• Beginner-friendly care
• Easy to propagate from stem cuttings

Benefits

• Adds bold color and texture to desks, shelves, and terrariums
• A worry-free choice for homes with cats and dogs
• Fills terrariums and vivariums with low, colorful cover
• Works as a tabletop houseplant, in hanging baskets, or in enclosures
• Easy enough for beginners and interesting enough for collectors

Product Specifications

Care Guide

Light

Bright, indirect light keeps the purple color rich. It tolerates medium light, but in dim spots the leaves lose their deep purple tone. Avoid direct sun, which can bleach and scorch the leaves.

Watering

Keep the soil evenly moist, watering when the top inch starts to feel dry, and never let the pot sit in water. In fall and winter, when growth slows, water a little less often, but don't let the soil dry out completely.

Humidity

Moderate to high humidity keeps the leaves lush, which makes terrariums, vivariums, bathrooms, and spots near a humidifier ideal. In an enclosure, our Automatic Misting System for Terrariums keeps humidity steady with no daily misting.

Temperature

Keep it between 65–80°F (18–27°C) and above 60°F (16°C), away from cold drafts. Temperatures below 50°F (10°C) can kill it.

Fertilizer

Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer every 4–6 weeks in spring and summer, and reduce feeding in fall and winter.

Pruning & Propagation

Pinch off the stem tips just above a leaf node to keep the plant bushy and stop the stems from getting long. Root the trimmings in moist potting soil and keep it moist until new growth appears. Older plants can turn leggy and lose color, so fresh cuttings keep your display full.

Seasonal Care

• Spring and summer: active growth, so water and feed regularly
• Fall and winter: slower growth, so water less often and feed less

Perfect For

• Terrariums and vivariums
• Desks, shelves, and small indoor spaces
• Hanging baskets and containers
• Pet-friendly households
• Beginners and experienced plant owners
• Adding bold color and texture indoors

Important Notes

• Not an aquarium plant. The purple waffle plant is sometimes sold as an aquatic plant, but it deteriorates if kept fully submerged. Its roots can sit in water with the leaves above the surface, or you can plant it in the land area of a paludarium.
• Light affects color. Leaf color intensity varies with lighting conditions.
• Natural variation. Leaf size, texture, and color vary. Images are for reference only; each plant is unique.
• Decorative pots are not included.

Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee

Plants are carefully wrapped and cushioned for safe transit.

We guarantee live arrival when our temperature guidelines are followed. If your plant arrives damaged, contact us within 2 hours of delivery with clear photos. We'll send a replacement within 2 business days.

Extreme weather packaging is required when temperatures are below 40°F or above 100°F.

Shipping restriction: we can't ship this plant to California due to state agricultural regulations.

Why Choose the Purple Waffle “Red Krinkle” Plant?

• Unique, crinkled foliage with purple undersides
• Pet-safe and beginner-friendly
• Compact, low-growing size that fits small spaces
• Ideal for terrariums, vivariums, and indoor displays
• Two ways to buy: potted and ready to display, or bare root for your own setup
• Curated by PlantedPro, a specialist shop for live plants, terrariums, and aquascaping

Your Top 5 Questions — Answered

Q. Is the purple waffle plant safe for cats and dogs?

= Yes. The ASPCA lists the purple waffle plant (Hemigraphis exotica) as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Eating a lot of any plant can still upset a sensitive stomach, so it's best to discourage regular nibbling.

Q. Can a purple waffle plant grow in an aquarium?

= Not underwater. It's a land plant that deteriorates if it stays fully submerged. You can grow it in an open-top tank with only the roots in the water and the leaves above the surface. Our Aquarium Plant Holder with Hooks keeps it in place on the tank wall. You can also plant it in the land area of a paludarium.

Q. Why is my purple waffle plant losing its purple color?

= Usually it's the light. Too little light dulls the deep purple tones, and direct sun bleaches them. Bright, indirect light keeps the color rich. Older plants also lose color as they get leggy, so pinch them back or start fresh from cuttings.

Q. Does the purple waffle plant purify the air?

= It has that reputation: in a 2009 University of Georgia lab study, the purple waffle plant removed volatile organic compounds (VOCs) better than any other houseplant tested in sealed glass containers. In a real home, though, a 2019 Drexel University review found that potted plants clean the air far more slowly than ordinary ventilation, so a few plants won't make a measurable difference. Choose it for its color, texture, and pet safety.

Q. Is it Hemigraphis exotica or Hemigraphis alternata?

= You'll see both names. Botanists now classify the purple waffle plant as Strobilanthes alternata 'Exotica', a crinkled-leaf form of the plant formerly called Hemigraphis alternata (red flame ivy). It's still widely sold as Hemigraphis exotica, and “Red Krinkle” is a trade name for it.