Spiderwort -Tradescantia Care or Warning Guide

Tradescantia, generally known as Spiderwort, is your go to plant if you want an easy to propagate plant and can easily handle indoor low light conditions.

Tradescantia or spiderwort is known for its vast variety of colors and foliage. The colors and patterns for this plant are many and each has its own unique vibe.

While it is true that Tradescantia (spiderwort) is a versatile plant because you can use it in a variety of ways either as a hanging plant or by placing it in a pot/ planter to create that bushy planter design, like in the image above. However, Tradescantia (spiderwort) comes with its cons.

The main difficulty you will face with this plant is that it can be difficult to manage for people who aren’t into pruning their plants and want their plants to remain bushy in appearance.

Why is that? Well…we’ll talk about Tradescantia (spiderwort) care and maintenance in a bit but first why don’t we first get familiar with its history, genus, and geography?

Tradescantia (spiderwort) is native to America and Mexico, these plants have become popular as houseplants and garden landscaping worldwide.

Varieties of Tradescantia

The genus of Tradescantia encompass a diverse range of species. Following are some of the notable varieties of this plant:

Tradescantia Zebrina

Tradescantia Zebrina are known for their striking purple and silver-striped leaves. This variety of Tradescantia is a favorite for adding a pop of color to indoor spaces. You definitely must have seen this specific variety because that beautiful shade of purple in its leaves will anyone intrigued.

Tradescantia Pallida

Tradescantia pallida is also called the purple heart, it has deep purple foliage and delicate pink flowers. It is completely different in appearance than tradescantia zebrina.

Though it is called purple heart it has a leaves that are long and plain in appearance. The pretty pink flowers give it an exotic feel.

It is most definitely another plant to add that splash of color to your indoor space or garden.

Tradescantia Fluminensis

This one has no purple shade or hue in its foliage. The leaves are a vibrant green with slight white lines and beautiful white flowers.

The green leaves are characterized by their glossy appearance and this particular variety of Tradescantia is often used in hanging baskets or as ground cover in gardens.

Like the other varieties of Tradescantia, the Fluminense will also add a dashing touch of exotic feel to your space.

Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’

Also known as Fantasy Venice, this variety of Tradescantia is also popular for its foliage with the purplish pink and green hue. Though Tradescantia is similar in appearance to Tradescantia Zebrina, they are not the same.

The key difference between Nanouk and Zebrina is that Nanouk has a specific kind of cultivar with distinctive pink and green variegated leaves. Zebrina, on the other hand has purple and silver variegated leaves.

So one might get confused at first but upon careful observation the difference between becomes apparent.

What does cultivar mean?

Cultivar is a process of producing a plant variety by breeding a plant of specific traits. Cultivars are often propagated asexually through cuttings or grafting.

Care Guide For Tradescantia (Spiderwort) Plant

Tradescantia plants are known for their resilience… truly. In fact their willingness to keep on living will blow your mind.

The only problem with their resilience and adaptability however is that it comes at the cost of their never-ending overgrowth, absolutely crazy-easy propagation and constant need for pruning. Add to that the high level maintenance that this plant requires.

While many people have shown a disdain for pain that comes with this plant but honestly you can’t resist the beauty of Tradescantia no matter the pain in the head.

Let’s talk about the care that a Tradescantia (Spiderwort) requires:

Light

When it comes to light requirement, the Tradescantia needs light either bright light or indirect bright light.

While they can tolerate some direct sunlight, excessive exposure to direct sun can scorch the leaves.

Inadequate or very low light can lead to leggy growth. What is leggy growth? Well have you seen some plants that have a vast gaps between its leaves on one stem or vine? the distance between the leaves is so vast and naked feeling that it feels less like foliage and more like spider legs.

To have that bushy and full planter look you need to keep pruning your Tradescantia and make sure it gets enough bright indirect light. Don’t worry about it dying though as they can grow back easily just by putting a small cutting of it on soil.

Watering

Tradescantia (Spiderwort) need consistent moist soil. Maintain the moist level of the soil but make sure to avoid water logging.

Allow the top inch of the soil to dry out between watering. Overwatering can lead to root rot, but underwatering is also not acceptable. Underwatering Tradescantia may cause stress and wilting.

If you’re an underwateror then simply get yourself a plant that is drought tolerant like the Snake Plants.

Soil

For soil requirements, Tradescantia require well-draining soil with slightly acidic to neutral pH level.

A standard potting mix along with added perlite or sand to the soil will enhance drainage and air in the soil.

Temperature and Humidity

Tradescantias prefer temperatures between 65-75°F (18-24°C) and moderate humidity. They can tolerate a range of conditions but are sensitive to frost.

Fertilizing

During the growing season (spring and summer), apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly. Over-fertilizing can cause excessive, leggy growth.

Pruning

Regular pruning encourages bushier growth and prevents legginess. Trim back any overgrown or straggly stems, especially during the active growing seasons.

Propagation

Easily propagated through stem cuttings. Place cuttings in water or moist soil, and roots typically develop within a week or two.