by The Tradescantia plant is a member of the Commelinaceae family. This genus includes about 30 species. In nature, this plant is found in the tropical and temperate zones of America. The name “Tradescantia” comes from the name of the gardener John Tradescant, who served the English king Charles I and was the first to describe this genus. People also call this herb “Woman’s gossip” or “saxifrage”.
Features of Tradescantia
Tradescantia is a not very tall herbaceous perennial plant with creeping or straight stems. Alternate leaf blades can have different shapes, depending on the species, they can be elliptical, lanceolate or ovoid. Inflorescences are formed from the axils of the apical leaf blades. Tradescantia is one of the ampelous plants that are most popular with flower growers. Due to regular pinching, the bush becomes lush and branchy. Most often, a pot with such a flower is placed on a high shelf or in a hanging vase so that the long stems can hang freely. During flowering, blue or violet-blue flowers form on the bush. Tradescantia is also used to decorate aquariums. To do this, the flower is installed in such a way that its stems are immersed in the water of the aquarium and form a green spectacular carpet.
This plant also has medicinal properties. It helps to purify the air in the room and is also able to neutralize electromagnetic radiation. Cut branches of this plant, placed in water, can stand there for several months, and sometimes for about a year. But for this, fertilizers must be regularly added to the water.
Brief description of cultivation
- FloweringTradescantia is grown as an ornamental foliage plant.
- Illumination. Some shade or bright, but necessarily diffused light. Note that variegated varieties need more sunlight, but direct sunlight can harm them too.
- Temperature conditionsIn the spring and summer, the air temperature should be around 25 degrees, and in the cold season – no more than 12 degrees.
- Watering. During the growing season, water abundantly and systematically, immediately after the top layer of the soil mixture in the pot dries out. During cool wintering, watering is done only when the substrate in the container is completely dry, but if the flower winters in the warmth, then it should be watered immediately after the soil lump dries out to ¼ of its depth.
- Air humidity. Grows well at low air humidity levels typical for residential areas.
- Fertilizer. Fertilizers are applied only in the spring-summer period regularly once every two weeks, and it is recommended to use organic and mineral fertilizers alternately. It is better not to feed variegated varieties with organic fertilizers.
- The rest periodIt is not clearly expressed.
- Trimming. In the spring time.
- Transfer. It is carried out together with pruning. Young bushes are replanted every year, and adult specimens – once every 1 or 2 years.
- Soil mixture. If desired, you can buy a ready-made soil mixture for tradescantia. But you can also make it yourself by combining turf, leaf and humus soil, as well as sand in a ratio of 2:4:2:1.
- Reproduction. By dividing the rhizome, cuttings and seeds.
- Harmful insects. Thrips, scale insects and spider mites.
- diseaseIf the plant is not properly cared for or if comfortable conditions for growth are not provided, then its shoots may become bare, rot may appear, and this also leads to the leaves becoming faded, or spots appearing on them, or their tips turning brown.
- Materials. Pale spiderwort can cause skin irritation.
Caring for Tradescantia at Home
Illumination
Tradescantia will feel best on a window sill facing east or west, but it should be taken into account that bright light must be diffused. It can also grow well on a northern window sill. When growing on a southern window, the flower must be shaded at midday.
Variegated forms are the most demanding in terms of lighting. If they do not have enough light, the color of the leaf blades will simply turn green, and in the case of excessively intense lighting, the foliage will burn out. The most shade-loving species is the white-flowered tradescantia. In summer, tradescantia can be moved to the garden or to the balcony, but the place for it should be chosen protected from drafts and direct sunlight.
Temperature conditions
In summer, this liana grows best at an air temperature of about 25 degrees. For wintering, it is best suited to cool conditions (no higher than 12 degrees), but with good care it can overwinter well in warmth.
Watering
In the spring and summer, the bush should be watered systematically and abundantly, but make sure that there is no stagnation of liquid in the substrate. Soft water is used for watering, and it is carried out a couple of days after the top layer of the soil mixture dries. In the cold season, watering is carried out three or four days after the top layer of the substrate dries.
Always make sure that water does not stagnate in the root system of the vine, as this can cause the soil mixture to turn sour. When half an hour has passed after watering, drain the excess water from the tray and wipe it with a dry cloth.
During cold wintering (12-16 degrees), watering the flower is carried out only when the soil in the pot is completely dry. Tradescantia can do without watering for a long time, and it will become very weak, but this will not lead to its death.
Air humidity
It is not necessary to moisten the bush with a spray bottle, but regular spraying will still be useful in the summer.
Fertilizer
In the spring and summer, the flower needs to be fed systematically once every 1 days. For this, it is recommended to use organic and mineral fertilizers alternately. However, when growing variegated forms, it is better to refuse to use organic fertilizers, since they can cause the foliage to turn simply green. With the onset of autumn, feeding is stopped and resumed only in the spring.
Trimming
When grown at home, the plant ages quite quickly and loses its former beauty. For example, its shoots may become bare. In order to preserve the decorative effect of the liana for a long time, it is necessary to regularly pinch the stems, and also do a little pruning every year. Also, do not forget about replanting the bush into a fresh substrate, which should be done in a timely manner.
Transplanting Tradescantia
As a rule, tradescantia is replanted on the day of pruning. Young plants need more frequent replanting, which is carried out once a year, when they become adults, this procedure can be carried out less often (once every 1-1 years). Before planting, a good drainage layer must be made at the bottom of the container. For replanting, use a soil mixture of the following composition: 2 part of turf and humus soil, 3 parts of leaf soil and half a part of sand. If desired, you can use a ready-made purchased soil mixture intended for tradescantia for replanting.
Virulence
After working with Tradescantia pallida, be sure to wash your hands, as it can cause skin irritation.
Methods of reproduction
Cultivation from seeds
Tradescantia seeds are sown in the first weeks of spring, using a soil mixture consisting of sand and peat. For sowing, it is necessary to build a mini-greenhouse, inside which the air temperature should be maintained at 20 degrees. The crops should be provided with systematic ventilation and humidification from a spray bottle. If the plants grown from seeds are properly cared for, then their first flowering can be seen already in the third year of growth.
Cutting
If you decide to propagate the liana by cuttings, you can do this at any time of the year. To do this, you need to cut the stem and cut it into pieces reaching 10 to 15 centimeters in length. From 5 to 8 cuttings are planted in one pot, and filled with a substrate consisting of compost and humus soil, as well as sand (1:1:1). For better rooting, the temperature should be maintained at 15 to 20 degrees. The cuttings take root very quickly, after just a few days they should grow roots. In 6-8 weeks they will become spectacular bushes.
Multiplication by division
During transplantation, the bush can be propagated by dividing the rhizome.
Possible problems
- Tradescantia grows poorly. The shoots become elongated and the amount of foliage decreases due to a lack of water or nutrients, as well as due to poor lighting.
- Tradescantia leaves turn greenWhen growing variegated forms, you need to make sure that the flower has enough light, otherwise its foliage will turn green.
- Spots on leaf bladesIf the plant does not have enough water, its shoots will become weak and yellow spots will form on the surface of the leaf blades.
- The flower stretches outDuring the winter period, the shoots of the tradescantia can stretch out, while the foliage at their base dries up and falls off. In this case, rooted cuttings are used to rejuvenate the bush.
- Tradescantia leaves turning brownIf the air humidity is too low, the tips of the leaf blades may turn brown.
- The foliage becomes monochromatic. Sometimes the stripes on the leaf blades disappear and they become monochromatic. This happens due to too little lighting, and also if pruning or cuttings were done incorrectly.
Diseases and pests
Most often, such a flower is affected by rot. If it is outside, it can be harmed by slugs and aphids.
Types and varieties of tradescantia with photos and names
Tradescantia x andersoniana
This plant is a hybrid with Tradescantia virginiana, it is created for cultivation in open ground. The varieties of this species have straight branched shoots. Lanceolate leaf blades have a purple-green color. The flat-shaped flowers can be painted white, pink, blue or purple, they are collected in inflorescences, the shape of which is very similar to an umbrella. Varieties:
- Purewell Giant – the color of the flowers is carmine red;
- Osprey – during flowering, they are decorated with white inflorescences;
- Leonora – flowers are violet-blue;
- Iris – blooms profusely with blue flowers;
- G. Weguelin – this variety has very large flowers, and they are colored in a sky-blue shade.
Tradescantia albiflora
Either Tradescantia tricolor or Tradescantia uiridis. This plant comes from the tropical part of South America. It has creeping stems. The bare shiny leaf blades have an elongated-ovate shape, their width is about 25 mm, and the length is up to 60 mm. Their color can be silvery-variegated or green. Most often, the inflorescences are formed on the tops of the shoots, but sometimes they grow from the leaf axils. Small flowers are painted white. Varieties:
- tricolor – the leaves have stripes of white or pinkish-lilac color;
- albovittata – the leaves are decorated with white stripes;
- aurea – this variety has yellow leaves with green stripes;
- aureovittata ― the front surface of the leaf blades is decorated with golden-yellow longitudinal stripes.
Tradescantia blossfeldiana
In nature, the species is found in Argentina. This herbaceous perennial has creeping shoots that are colored greenish-red. The alternate leaf blades are elliptical or lanceolate, with a pointed tip and a tubular sheath. The leaves are about 30 mm wide and up to 80 mm long, with their underside colored purple and the front side dark green with a reddish tint. The surface of the foliage, leaf sheaths, and shoots under the nodes is covered with pubescence, represented by white hairs. Long, densely pubescent peduncles grow at the ends of the stems and from the axils of the upper leaf blades. Two bracts of varying sizes grow at the bottom of the inflorescence. The flower consists of 2 sepals and the same number of petals. The surface of the purple sepals is densely pubescent. The lower part of the stamens is covered with pubescence, consisting of long white hairs.
There is a variegata variety. It has similar patterns of wide yellow stripes on adjacent right and adjacent left leaf blades. The patterns of the left and right leaves are different. With improper cutting or pruning, and also due to poor lighting, the pattern on the foliage disappears.
Tradescantia virginiana
Native to the southeast of North America. The length of the knotty, straight and branched shoot is about 0,6 m. The length of the lanceolate foliage is about 20 centimeters, the leaf sheath covers the shoot. The diameter of the pinkish-purple flowers is up to 40 mm, they are collected in apical umbel-shaped inflorescences, they include 2 large bracts and 3 petals. Flowering is observed in July-August. The fruit is a capsule with longitudinal valves. Varieties:
- atrorubra – the color of the inflorescences is blood-red;
- coerulea – blue flowers;
- rosy – pink inflorescences;
- rubra – the bush is decorated with red flowers.
Tradescantia pilosa
Straight shoots are decorated with long leaf blades, on the surface of which there is a pubescence of white hairs. The color of the flowers is lilac-pink.
Tradescantia zebrina
Or hanging spiderwort (Tradescantia pendula). Red bare stems can be creeping or hanging. The width of the ovoid foliage is about 50 mm, and the length is up to 100 mm. On the front surface along the entire leaf blade there is a pair of stripes of silvery-white color, and the lower surface is red. Small flowers are painted purple or violet.
This succulent plant is found in nature in Mexico and Peru. There is no pubescence on the creeping stems. The small, ovoid, boat-shaped leaf blades are about 10 mm wide and up to 40 mm long. The thick, pointed, keeled foliage below has cilia along the edge, and there are many purple dots on the surface. The formation of inflorescences is observed at the top of the bush; they consist of pink flowers.
Tradescantia multicolor
The shoots are densely foliated with small green leaf blades, on the surface of which there are stripes of white or pink color. Such a plant is considered highly decorative.
Tradescantia fluminensis
The plant is native to Brazil. The creeping purple-red stems have many green spots on their surface. The short-petiolate smooth leaves are ovoid, up to 20 mm wide and about 25 mm long. Varieties:
- variegate – the leaves have cream-colored stripes;
- Quicksilver – the leaves are decorated with white stripes.