Tradescantia zebrina
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Tradescantia pendula
- Zebrina pendula
- Phonetic Spelling
- trad-es-KAN-tee-uh zeb-REE-nuh
- Description
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Tradescantia zebrina is a herbaceous perennial often grown as a houseplant. It has interesting variegated foliage striped green, white, and gray leaves with purple undersides. The leaves are ovate and clasp the stem at the base. Tiny three-petaled lavender-purple flowers appear infrequently indoors. Leaf nodes on the stem are supposed to be 1-inch apart, hence the common name inch plant. Tolerates a wide range of growing conditions. Does best in filtered sun, average room temperatures and moist but well-drained soil. Reduce watering in the winter. Pinch back to encourage bushy growth. Plants can be pruned back hard every spring and can be taken outside on a protected patio in the summer. It is commonly grown in a hanging pot. This plant is synonymous with Tradescantia pendula and Zebrina pendula.
When located in full sunlight, the greatest color intensity can be appreciated. However, in more southern locations, the sun can wash out the color. In areas providing low lighting, the stems can lose their lower leaves and the remaining leaves can lose some of their beautiful color.
Trimming keeps this creeper contained as well as promoting denser foliage. Removed leggy growth also allows for cuttings that can be used for propagation. Although typically grown as a perennial, the cuttings can be used to
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Root rot and stem rot can occur in soggy soil. Monitor for aphids, mealybugs, scale, whiteflies, and spider mites as these can be an issue if left unchecked. Contact with plant sap causes skin irritations in some individuals.
Desired for its showy, colorful foliage and fast growth, commonly grown indoors in a hanging basket or in interiorscapes as a groundcover; each flower only lasts for 1 day.
Quick ID
- Leaves are 2-ranked and 2 longitudinal stripes
- Stems are trailing with closed sheaths
- Leaf undersides are PURPLE
- Flowers are solitary, subtended by paired bracts
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Burgundy'
dark purple leaves - 'Feeling Flirty' (trademark)
pink foliage with green stripes - 'Quadricolor'
foliage with pink, purple, silver, and green stripes - 'Wandering Dude'
leaves are green to purple with two stripes of silvery-white, the undersides are magenta
- 'Burgundy'
- 'Burgundy', 'Feeling Flirty' (trademark), 'Quadricolor', 'Wandering Dude'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Burgundy'
dark purple leaves - 'Feeling Flirty' (trademark)
pink foliage with green stripes - 'Quadricolor'
foliage with pink, purple, silver, and green stripes - 'Wandering Dude'
leaves are green to purple with two stripes of silvery-white, the undersides are magenta
- 'Burgundy'
- 'Burgundy', 'Feeling Flirty' (trademark), 'Quadricolor', 'Wandering Dude'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Tradescantia
- Species:
- zebrina
- Family:
- Commelinaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mexico and Guatemala
- Play Value:
- Colorful
- Easy to Grow
- Shade
- Textural
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 9 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flower inflorescence is hidden within two leafy bracts. Flowers are white tubes with purple lobes, <1 inch, subtended by a pair of boat-shaped 1-3 inch bracts; corolla lobes 3, purple-pink or violet blue. Although this plant can bloom year round, when located indoors, blooms are rare.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Variegated
- White
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are alternate, simple, ovate-oblong, acute, green & longitudinally striped white or silver or purple above between midrib & margin, usually reddish-purple beneath, somewhat succulent; blade sessile with a closed sheath. On close inspection, fine hairs can be seen along the leaf margins. In bright lights, the leaves appear to sparkle.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are ascending, decumbent or trailing, rooting at nodes.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Houseplants
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Pool/Hardscape
- Rock Wall
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Cutting Garden
- Rock Garden
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Diseases
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Insect Pests