The species has been proven useful in indicating and removing air and soil pollutants and has also been used in food technology.

[2] The type specimen was collected by Edward Palmer, one of the main US plant collectors of his time, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas (possibly near Ciudad Victoria[3]) in 1907.

[2] The specific epithet pallida means "pale", referring to the original color of the leaves.

[4] The plants are evergreen,[4] but in colder areas die back to the ground in winter and resprout from the roots in spring.

[4] 'Purpurea' is sometimes sold under the name 'Purple Heart',[5] and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

[2] It is generally not affected by pests or diseases; however, slugs and caterpillars may attack young shoots of outdoor specimens, while houseplants should be monitored for aphids and scale.

[5] T. pallida has been proven useful for phytoremediation, biomonitoring, and genotoxicity assessment of environmental pollutants, especially heavy metals and metalloids from coal power plants.

[7] As a houseplant, T. pallida has been judged exceptionally effective at improving indoor air quality by filtering out volatile organic compounds, a class of common pollutants and respiratory irritants.