Tradescantia : A Colorful Family

One of my favorite colorful and powerful genus of plants is the Tradescantia.

This genus is resilient, resistant, magnificent and, it seems. infinitely variegated. The striped cultivars – ‘Yellow Hill’ and ‘White Giant’ are my favorite at the moment.

Below, we’ll be looking at how to propagate any member of the Tradescantia genus – specifically Tradescantia zebrina, Tradescantia fluminensis ‘Yellow Hill’ and Tradescantia chrysophylla. They are all easy to care for and offer gorgeous bushy and dangly growth, if grown in bright light. The propagation experiments are also a wonderful way to introduce children and adults to the world of root systems, propagation, plant cycles and botany more generally.

Check out my care and propagation tips below!

💡MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PROPER LIGHT💡

Tradescantia thrive in bright light. The plants will also get “leggy” if they are grown in lower light – the stems elongate and the distance between leaves increase and the leaves themselves decrease in size.

The pink varieties (Zebrina, Tricolor, Nanouk) will fade in color if they do not receive enough light.

They can tolerate some morning sun as well, but ensure that they are not fully exposed to an afternoon sun as their leaves can scorch.

Most cultivars should be kept indoors in the winter as they are frost-sensitive. A few exceptions are

• Tradescantia andersoniana ‘Blushing Bride’ – can withstand frosts down to -7°C but the foliage will brown and fall. She will bounce right back in the spring.
• Tradescantia pallida var. purpurea – the long, purple leaves will wilt and fall, but the roots are frost hardy and will grow back vigorously once the last frosts have passed.

💧DO NOT OVERWATER💧

Tradescantias in general like to be on the drier side. They are resilient and drought-resistant so be careful to not overwater.

• Make sure to plant them in well-draining soil (extra perlite, extra sand, extra clay balls or small pebbles to aerate the soil).
• Wait for the soil to dry out completely between watering. Too much water = root rot.

✂️PROPAGATION TRIMMING✂️

If your Tradescantia is beginning to look a bit sad, ragged, long, leggy, forgotten, abused, forlorn… then it is time for a propagation trim!

What is a propagation trim? (We have just created this concept, please bear with us!)

It is a trim of the suffering plant – down to 5-10cm above the soil line – that will encourage new and healthy growth. It is also an opportunity to learn how to propagate (multiply, make more of ) Tradescantia. This genus is notoriously one of the easiest to propagate, so your family can expect many many Tradescantia-gifts in the future.

PROPAGATING TRADESCANTIA

Tradescantia cuttings are super easy to propagate!

• Cut a stem off (preferably one that is in good health, double check for insect damade or nibbles)
• Remove the leaves off one or two nodes (the roots will sprout from here)

TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT – EARTH VS WATER

I have been doing a few experiments – growing the cuttings either in water or rooting tthem directly in soil. It is absolutely true that both work. It is also true that the roots form more slowly in water and the roots are weaker, needing an additional period of adaptation when they are repotted in soil.

That being said, it is always exciting to watch roots grow. Especially if you have kids or someone who has never seen a root system before.

When planting your cuttings, make sure your pot is the right size for your cutting(s), and that the soil is dry.

Create a hole in the soil, deep enough so that you do not break the roots as you place your cuttings in the soil.

Stick the cuttings into the soil with at least one node under the soil line.

Water immediately afterwards and don’t water again until the soil is completely dry.

Make sure to place the pot in a bright spot in your home.

Et Voila! New plants galore!