Gynura aurantiaca comes from Southeast Asia and belongs to the daisy family, though it behaves nothing like its meadow relatives. Its stems are weak and sprawling, reaching one to two feet with a tendency toward legginess if left unchecked — regular pinching keeps growth bushy and maintains the deep purple color that makes this plant worth growing in the first place. That color comes entirely from the dense covering of violet trichomes on its leaves and stems, and it depends on bright, indirect light to develop fully. In low light, the leaves revert to green, which is functional but misses the point entirely.

Clusters of small orange-yellow flowers appear in fall, though they carry an unpleasant scent and are often removed as they open. The plant is commonly displayed in a hanging basket where its sprawling habit reads as intentional, and where the rich purple foliage can be seen from below. Soil should stay consistently moist but never waterlogged; winter watering should be scaled back, as root rot is the most common cultural problem. The plant is well suited to a bright window in any room that stays reasonably warm year-round.