Pocket BotanistPlant guide
Joseph's coat.
Alternanthera dentata
Pronounced al-ter-NAN-ther-ah den-TAH-tah
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This vibrant plant is a favorite for adding deep purple or burgundy color to your garden beds. It is a tender perennial that thrives in warm climates and loves the sun. You will find it makes a stunning contrast against green foliage.
At a glance
- Care level
- Easy
- Plant type
- Perennial
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Indoor light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Every 3 to 7 days
- Mature size
- 3 feet tall
- Growth rate
- Fast
Care
Keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy to prevent root issues. Watch for wilting leaves which signal the plant is thirsty. Pinch back the stems regularly to encourage a fuller and bushier shape.
- Watering
- Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
- Feeding
- Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month during the growing season.
- Pruning
- Trim back long stems to keep the plant compact and tidy.
- Repotting
- Repot when the roots begin to fill the current container.
- Soil
- Well draining loamy soil
- Soil pH
- 6.0 to 7.0
Safety
- Pets
- This plant is generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.
How to identify it
- Deep purple or burgundy leaves
- Pointed oval shaped foliage
- Small white papery flowers
- Upright bushy growth habit
Problems to watch for
Check your joseph's coat from a photo
Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.
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Science
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
- Genus
- Alternanthera
- Order
- Caryophyllales
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.
Keep your joseph's coat growing
This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.
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This guide was generated with AI on and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.