Question

plant in question   QUESTION: I bought a small plant at a local greenhouse and so far they have been wrong identifying it for me.
It has dark green leaves with dark purple underneath and red veins,it blooms tiny all white flowers that die off in a day and are set in bundles,the stems are thick like a shrub,it can be grown in shade and needs moderate moisture.

ANSWER: Carrie
What have they been telling you it is?..That would be a good place to start...It also helps to know where you are located...Can it be grown indoors and outdoors year round in your area?..In your picture the plant does not look real healthy...That limits the ability to ID it...It looks like it is not being watered properly (See watering advice below)...

I have 2 guesses as to what it might be...

I think it is a Plectranthus ciliatus (Purple/Black Swedish Ivy) - a small tropical vining plant that has round, gray-green leaves and a purple underbelly...Blooms with small white flowers on short spikes...

It could also be (but I do not think so) a Maranta leuconeura (prayer plant) - a small tropical plant with broad oval leaves, purple under leaf and purple spots on the upper leaf...The leaves fold upwards at night...

Water your plant based on how much it weighs when thoroughly watered VS when it is ready to be watered again...Plants die from too frequent waterings, not from how much water you give them at one time...Letting it stay dry for too long can also hurt the plant...Pick the pot up and feel how heavy it is after watering it thoroughly...Don't water it again until it feels considerably lighter and the top of the soil is light in color...Depending on plant types, sunlight exposure and pot size plants will need water at many different rates from once a day to once a month or more...
Let me know if this helps...
Rick in southern NJ



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when i very first got   QUESTION: The plant isn't one of those and it gets watered daily;if I don't it starts to wilt I'm in Colorado and the weather has been warm and it is naturally dry here so I have to until I can get an identification before I replant into a better container. It has done well blooming so far;the top tree bundles in the picture is where the flowers appear they are about as big if not smaller than a pencil eraser,the leaves from a distance appear almost black,when the leaves die off they lighten to a lighter color purple as seen in the picture other than that the leaves are really dark green on top and dark purple on the bottom. The stems are thick brown and very sturdy with a hint of the purple also with some fuzz (not mold). I hope this helps you help me I'd hate to lose my plant.

Answer
Again water it by weight...Put a saucer under it so it can suck up as much water as it needs to be completly watered...It is in a small pot so it will need watering more often than a plant in a larger pot...Check it daily but only water it when it needs it...

I can not tell from the picture you provided what the plant is...You need to take the plant to a different local Colorado garden center that has someone more knowledgeable...Take the plant with you to see if they can ID it for you...
Good luck...
Rick in southern NJ