There were a few of these plants next to each other, but not all of them had this bright purple coloration. I suppose there might be an acidic spot by the roots, but I’m not sure.
Often, plants use a pigment called anthocyanin. This is used in flowers as an attractant for bees but also used in leaves as a sun screen. In intense light conditions the plant will use it to protect the interior vascular systems from sun damage.
Interesting - so maybe these pigments showed up in response to strong light?
Automatic identification via PlantNet summary
Most likely match: Chenopodium giganteum D.Don
| Common name | Scientific name | Likeliness |
|---|---|---|
| Tree Spinach | Chenopodium giganteum | 82.38 % |
| / | Lamium garganicum | 2.21 % |
| Mexican Lemon Hyssop | Agastache mexicana | 1.59 % |
| / | Melissa axillaris | 1.54 % |
| Coleus | Plectranthus scutellarioides | 0.55 % |
Beep, boop
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I agree!
The Wiki page points out that:
The younger leaves of Chenopodium giganteum are hairy with a magenta colour and the older become green.
But it doesn’t go into what the pigment is, or why they might do this…
Chenopodium giganteum (tree spinach)
