紫錦草屬多年生草本，原產墨西哥。全株紫紅色，表面光滑佈白粉狀物；肉質莖，下部匍匐狀，上部近於直立。互生線狀披針形或狹披針形葉，基部葉柄鞘狀抱莖，質厚而脆，易折斷。花開於枝端，有蚌殼狀苞片，花淡紅色至淡紫色，全年開花。蒴果橢圓形。

A perennial herb in the genus Tradescantia, native to Mexico. The whole plant is purplish red, smooth and covered with white powder; stem fleshy and decumbent in the lower part, nearly erect in the upper part. Leaves alternate, linear lanceolate or narrow lanceolate, base petiole sheath-like and amplexicaul, thick and brittle, easy to break. Flowers terminal, bracts clamshell-like, flowers pale red to lavender and blooming all year round. Capsules oval.

全日照或半日照高溫多溼的環境。生性強健，栽培土質不拘，介質稀薄處亦能生長。耐旱、耐風。以扦插繁殖。

It grows in full-sun or partial-sun, hot and humid environments. Robust and adaptable to all types of soils, it even manages to grow in shallow medium soil.Tolerant to drought and wind. Propagated by cuttings.

可作庭園地被植物、吊盆、小品盆栽。全草可入藥，可涼血、袪瘀、消腫、解毒，治肝炎、吐血、丹毒、腫毒、燙傷。

Suitably used as garden groundcover and planted in hanging baskets and small pots. The whole plant can be used as medicines to cool blood, relieve bruise, reduce swelling, detoxify; cure hepatitis, hematemesis, erysipelas, swelling poison, and scald.