Tradescantia
Tradescantia zebrina and Tradescantia spp.
Tradescantias are fast-growing trailing plants with striped silver, purple or green leaves. They root easily, fill a hanging basket in weeks, and are among the easiest houseplants to grow.
Photo: “Jon Zander (Digon3)" · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Bright indirect light, Partial sun
Watering
Moderate
Water when the top 2–3 cm of soil is dry.
Soil
Well-drained potting mix; pH 6.0–7.0.
Temperature and humidity
10–32 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed monthly in the growing season with a diluted fertilizer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by stem cuttings
Pinch tips often and replace old, leggy stems with fresh cuttings.
The sap can cause skin irritation in pets and sensitive people.
Top Cultivation Tips
Bright light keeps the leaf colour strong.
Cuttings root in water in days.
Plant several cuttings per pot for fullness.
Purple heart makes a good groundcover outdoors.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →DiseaseRoot rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →PestSpider mites
Tiny sap-sucking mites that thrive in hot, dry conditions, causing speckled, dull leaves and fine webbing.
How to treat it →
