Tradescantia care guide

Tradescantia is a fast, trailing plant with striped leaves in purple, silver, pink, and green. It was a hanging basket classic in the 1970s, and it is just as easy now. It grows fast, roots in a glass of water, and comes back from a hard trim.

Many kinds are sold under the name tradescantia. The care below fits them all.

Light

Give it bright, indirect light. A spot near an east window, or a few feet back from a south or west window, keeps the colors bright.

In low light, the stripes fade, the purple turns green, and the stems get long and bare between leaves. A little gentle sun deepens the purple.

Water

Water when the top 2 to 3 cm (1 in) of soil is dry. Water until it drains, then empty the saucer.

Soggy soil rots the stems at the base. Bone-dry soil crisps the leaves. Read how to tell if a houseplant is overwatered or underwatered.

Soil and potting

Use a well-draining houseplant mix. A hanging basket or a pot on a high shelf shows off the trailing stems.

Repot every year or two in spring, one size up. Many people restart the plant from cuttings instead. See how to repot a houseplant step by step.

Humidity and temperature

Average room air is fine. Keep it between 15 and 27°C (60 and 80°F).

Feeding

Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength. Too much fertilizer can fade the stripes.

Pruning

Pinch the tips often. Each pinch makes two new stems, and the plant gets fuller. Cut long, bare stems back hard. They regrow.

Older plants get bare in the middle and leggy at the ends. Root the cuttings and replant them in the same pot to fill it back in.

Propagation

Tradescantia might be the easiest plant to propagate.

1. Cut a stem tip 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) long.
2. Pull off the lowest leaves.
3. Set it in water, or push it into damp potting mix.
4. Roots grow within a week or two.

Put several cuttings in one pot for a full plant.

Problems

What you see	Most likely cause
Stripes fading, leaves turning green	Not enough light
Long, bare stems	Not enough light, or never pinched
Brown, crispy leaves	Dry soil or dry air
Mushy stems at the soil	Too much water
Bare center	Normal aging. Replant cuttings in the middle.

Pests

Spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs can show up. Rinse the plant in the shower to knock them off. Fungus gnats mean the soil stays wet too long. Read how to get rid of fungus gnats in houseplants.

Pet safety

The ASPCA lists tradescantia as toxic to cats and dogs. The main problem is skin. The sap can cause an itchy rash on pets that brush against it or chew it. Some people get a rash from the sap too, so wear gloves when you prune.

Varieties

• Tradescantia zebrina has silver and purple stripes with purple undersides.
• Inch plant, Tradescantia fluminensis, has small green or striped leaves.
• Purple heart, Tradescantia pallida, has deep purple leaves and pink flowers.
• ‘Nanouk’ has thick leaves striped in pink, purple, and green. It is one of the easiest.
• ‘Quicksilver’ has green and silver stripes.
• Oyster plant, Tradescantia spathacea, grows upright with stiff leaves, green on top and purple below.