Purple Passion is a striking greenhouse soft shrub, the reddish violet colour alone makes it stand out. As you look more closely you notice amazing furriness on every part. As soft and hairy as Lamb’s Quarters (Stachys) in the open garden, similarly gentle under the fingers. Indeed a tactile plant you are driven to touch as you go past, unfortunately it has no scent.
Originally from Java this is one of those plants with a chequered history changing names, and families. It was thought a Senecio then a Cacà lia, in Compositae and Asteraceae, and has now settled down as Gynura aurantiaca (sometimes mislabelled G. sarmentosa, another, more twining, species from India).
Slow growing this might eventually reach four or even five feet though it is more useful as smaller specimens for the bench and as attractive house plants for sunny windowsills. However I’d not put one in most bathrooms as the dim light and humidity does not suit the furry leaves, Gynura prefers drier brighter conditions, though not arid. And although definitely not hardy it could happily go outdoors in the summer, say on a sunny patio.
Not particular to compost as long as well drained and not waterlogged you can propagate Velvet Leaf with cuttings in summer though these need bottom heat or may rot first. Although growing from seed is theoretically possible I’ve never seen any offered, and the few, rather insignificant hanging dandelion-like flowers have never set seed for me. However these are not expensive plants just seldom offered by the major outlets, even so they pop up every so often, particularly at ‘charity’ tables where their uniqueness makes a ready sale. This is one of those plants once seen always remembered, though maybe not the Latin name (which is obtuse, a floral part remotely resembling a tail).
Luckily simple to look after Gynura is not prone to many problems, other than waterlogging which can rapidly prove deadly to the fine hair like roots especially during cold periods, and watering from above may  spoil the leaves. The usual greenhouse culprits can appear but the furriness discourages extensive mollusc damage and most pests prefer to go elsewhere though mealy bug can be troublesome.
The furry foliage can need careful cleaning as it does tend to catch dust and fluff, I use a small vacuum cleaner, carefully.
Only the original G. aurantiaca, Purple Passion is currently available, though as mentioned sometimes confused with plants wrongly labelled G. sarmentosa. That comes from India and recorded as being eaten by the Chinese, honestly, and it’s nearly as furry! Another even more elusive species, G. pseudo-china, a.k.a. Ala-beth, Mul-beth, Cheena-ala, has tuberous roots allegedly medicinal and once used to heal leprosy.