Plant Care Spiderwort

Spiderwort

4.6 out of 5 (391 experiences)

Spiderwort has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower
Spiderwort has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate

About Spiderwort

Tradescantia zebrina is an exceptionally easy plant to care for and rewards growers with delightful white and purple blossoms. Their leaves have characteristic stripes, which is where they get the name Zebrina! They are extremely easy to propagate by stem and one plant can give rise to dozens of new ones, which makes them great for sharing. 🤝 As houseplants they often trail, but will also creep along the ground if grown outdoors. Their succulent leaves make them sensitive to frost, so be sure to bring them indoors if your winter temperatures dip below freezing. ❄️

Taxonomy

Tradescantia zebrina
Tradescantia
Commelinaceae
Commelinales

Also known as

Tradescantia Zebrina, Tradescantia Zebrina, Inchplant, Tradescantia pendula, Zebrina pendula, Wandering Dude, Quadricolor and discolor

How to care for Spiderwort

💦 Water

How often to water your Spiderwort

Water needs for Spiderwort
0.5 cups
every 9

Spiderwort needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Spiderwort

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Tradescantia Zebrina in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Spiderwort: 3ft from a window
3ft or less from
a window

Spiderwort may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Spiderwort in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Spiderwort

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Spiderwort: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Spiderwort after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Zebrina
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Spiderwort is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

How to Grow Tradescantia Zebrina →

Benefits of Growing Tradescantia Zebrina →

Common Tradescantia Zebrina Problems →

Indoor Care Guide for Tradescantia Zebrina →

Outdoor Care Guide for Tradescantia Zebrina →


💦 Water Needs

Spiderwort prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Tradescantia Zebrina Water Frequency →

Tradescantia Zebrina Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Spiderwort may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Tradescantia Zebrina Light Requirements →

Tradescantia Zebrina Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Spiderwort is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.

Is Tradescantia Zebrina Edible? →

Tradescantia Zebrina Toxicity to Cats →

Tradescantia Zebrina Toxicity to Dogs →

Tradescantia Zebrina Toxicity to Humans →


💨 Humidity

Spiderwort doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.

Tradescantia Zebrina Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Spiderwort does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Tradescantia Zebrina →

Best Pots for Tradescantia Zebrina →

When and How to Successfully Repot Tradescantia Zebrina →

What Are Healthy Tradescantia Zebrina Roots →


💩 Fertilizer

Spiderwort should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Tradescantia Zebrina →


❄️ Dormancy

It’s common for Spiderwort to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.


🌎 Native Region

Spiderwort is native to the Americas.


🌸 Flowers
⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Spiderwort has long, trailing foliage which makes them a great addition to a hanging planter. The newest growth will emerge from the tip of the stems.

Tradescantia Zebrina Lifecycle →

How and When to Prune Tradescantia Zebrina →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors
🌱 Propagation

Spiderwort can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

  • Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
  • To get the cutting to root, you can either:
    • Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
    • Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate Tradescantia Zebrina →


🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Spiderwort, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Spiderwort

Spiderwort

Spiderwort


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Spiderwort has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 294
Spiderwort has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 244
Spiderwort has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 204
Spiderwort has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 73
Spiderwort has a Blooms easily plant personality Blooms easily 39
Spiderwort has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 39
Spiderwort has a Pest magnet plant personality Pest magnet 13
@Gbrownie1 avatar
@@Gbrownie1
leaf-1 2 Plants
xp 1,061 XP
04/09/2022

- easiest plant ever

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@goblinbabe avatar
@@goblinbabe
leaf-1 41 Plants
xp 1,205 XP
globe Hamilton, NJ
04/05/2022

Love my wandering dude. Very low maintenance, grows incredibly fast.

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
@Yvette avatar
@@Yvette
leaf-1 41 Plants
xp 3,676 XP
globe Crowborough, England
02/24/2022

This plants easy to care for, propagates fast aswell as being a fast grower.

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@Sneakymouse avatar
@@Sneakymouse
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 118 XP
globe Papamoa, Bay of Plenty
02/18/2022

This plant is so pretty!!! I love how it makes my room look and it’s very thirsty

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@YeahWaxivy avatar
@@YeahWaxivy
leaf-1 1 Plants
xp 31 XP
globe Boston, MA
02/07/2022

Super fun because the leaves are so fuzzy and soft!

@Peeps16 avatar
@@Peeps16
leaf-1 22 Plants
xp 1,912 XP
globe Kansas City, MO
02/02/2022

Love how easy it is to propagate this plant started with a small cutting and now have split it into 5 individual plants

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@emianne avatar
@@emianne
leaf-1 2 Plants
xp 40 XP
globe Provo, UT
01/31/2022

This plant has survived through multiple depressive episodes of mine and looks so gorgeous with its sparkling leaves

Survivor Survivor
@LisainSC1961 avatar
@@LisainSC1961
leaf-1 12 Plants
xp 450 XP
globe York, SC
01/29/2022

Gorgeous leaves and easy to grow.

Fast grower Fast grower
@nooodlessoupp avatar
@@nooodlessoupp
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 130 XP
globe Petoskey, MI
01/18/2022

i love to write poetry about having asthma. #survivor hmu if u like peanut butter

Survivor Survivor
@ElderWildyam avatar
@@ElderWildyam
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 98 XP
01/17/2022

Looks fabulous but can be really annoying with bugs.

Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
Browns easily Browns easily
Pest magnet Pest magnet
@BoozyBillsBabe avatar
@@BoozyBillsBabe
leaf-1 46 Plants
xp 9,015 XP
globe Baltimore, MD
01/14/2022

Grows fast and the leaves are pretty but it gets very leggy and old leaves die off leaving a very odd looking viney mess behind.

Fast grower Fast grower
Browns easily Browns easily
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@GardeningDiva avatar
@@GardeningDiva
leaf-1 64 Plants
xp 12,142 XP
globe New York
01/11/2022

Been with me for ten years and she is just stunning

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@dylan1stokes avatar
@@dylan1stokes
leaf-1 36 Plants
xp 3,495 XP
globe Witham, England
01/10/2022

I recused this plant the other day so haven’t had it long at all but I am very excited to revive it

Fast grower Fast grower
@UrbaneBibi avatar
@@UrbaneBibi
leaf-1 14 Plants
xp 179 XP
globe Pittsboro, NC
01/06/2022

Super easy to propagate. Don’t overwater.

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@jadedtara avatar
@@jadedtara
leaf-1 16 Plants
xp 539 XP
globe Delaware, OH
01/03/2022

Very pretty, needs watered often, but easy to propagate and even lives well in water!

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@GMNplants avatar
@@GMNplants
leaf-1 54 Plants
xp 7,291 XP
globe Dublin, OH
12/26/2021

Super easy and grows very fast

Fast grower Fast grower
@Jaroa avatar
@@Jaroa
leaf-1 6 Plants
xp 841 XP
globe Glen Allen, VA
12/23/2021

I know nothing about this plant I just love the color and the fact that I haven’t killed it yet

Survivor Survivor
Fast grower Fast grower
@EmsPlantHangout avatar
@@EmsPlantHangout
leaf-1 30 Plants
xp 1,914 XP
globe Edinburgh, Scotland
12/22/2021

Beautiful plant, love the silver and purple in the leaves.

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@BJoyce avatar
@@BJoyce
leaf-1 57 Plants
xp 10,343 XP
globe Orlando, FL
12/21/2021

I actually hate this plant but it feels rude to give it 5 stars just because it doesn’t spark joy. I’ll probably put it outside soon and just let it vibe out there so I don’t have to look at it anymore. Basically idiot proof though - I’ve been actively trying to kill it for months and it’s still hanging on.

Fast grower Fast grower
@Haidyn avatar
@@Haidyn
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 69 XP
globe Elgin, OK
11/30/2021

Toxic to pets and animals

Blooms easily Blooms easily
Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate

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