Tradescantia Zebrina
4.6 out of 5 (391 experiences)
Fast grower
Easy to propagate
About Tradescantia Zebrina
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
Spiderwort, Inchplant, Tradescantia pendula, Zebrina pendula, Wandering Dude, Quadricolor, discolor, Spiderwort (Violet Hill), Tradescantia Zebrina (Violet Hill), Inch plant and Purple Plush Wandering Dude
How to care for Tradescantia Zebrina
How often to water your Tradescantia Zebrina
every 9
Tradescantia Zebrina 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.
Water 0.5 cups every
9
Finding light for Tradescantia Zebrina in your home
a window
Tradescantia Zebrina can tolerate being far from a window and light source.
Place it less than 6 feet from a south-facing window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Tradescantia Zebrina in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Tradescantia Zebrina
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 Tradescantia Zebrina after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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Too much Light/Heat? I have my plants under a grow light and I've noticed the center most leaves are duller then others. I'm worried maybe it is getting too much direct light/heat? (I'm sorry the photo isn't that clear, the difference in leaves is much more noticeable in person.)
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This is in a hanging coconut liner basket...so how do I categorize what kind of pot. It doesn't give me opinions #Zebrina
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Is my Tradescantia Zebrina dead/beyond help? I had a Tradescantia Zebrina that I bought from a garden centre and it was happy for a while and grew big and dangly, but then all the leaves kept wilting off until it was basically just stalks, but I managed to take a cutting from it and grow that as this plant called Luna. This has grown as one tendril and similarly grew longer but at a certain point the leaves started wilting. Then a few weeks ago, I was moving it while watering and when I held the main stalk, it just snapped/pulled out of the soil with no roots attached. I trimmed down to below a leaf and put it in water to try and regrow it as a cutting, but no roots have started to develop and the lower leaves are wilting as they did when it was in soil, yet the leaves at the stop still look bright and healthy. Is there anything I can do to get it back to life or is it beyond help at this point? #TradescantiaZebrina
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UPDATE: TLDR: Greg giveaway update, talking about my life currently like moving back into my house and getting a job soon. Just watered and cleaned up my tradescantia plant. I had to clean up a lot of dead leaves. A lot of my plants are dying because I’m currently living somewhere else for a little bit. I come back every so often and take care of my plants and bugs. But, yeah, unfortunately it’s taken a huge toll on my plants. I’m also all out of repotting supplies which sucks because spring is pretty much here. I just don’t have the money right now as I am trying to find a job. Things are getting better though. I’m gonna be moving back into my house in a little while. So that’s good 🙂 also, a little update about the Greg giveaway: I realized that I’m not the right person for the Greg gift card for the Greg plant shop so I asked the Greg team if I could switch it out for a box of goodies instead and they are so wonderful. They said they would send me a box. So excited! The Greg team truly are an awesome bunch. 💝 (ignore my dirty glass in the photos I know I gotta clean it. Also, I have no idea why the photos are sideways. Sorry about that.) #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #PlantTherapy #PlantCorner #PlantLove #TropicalPlants
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Soil recommendation for “Wondering Jews”?
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My plant is vining but is more climbing then getting fuller. Any suggestions to help her once her growing season starts
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😭☹️ My babies are dying! I've never had this big of a change for winter..I brought them in as usual..but this year I had so much plant I couldn't put him in the window..I got a grow light and timed it 3hrs a day..(confused about the spectrum of light. #Zebrina #dying #help #crying
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My birthday was yesterday, on Thanksgiving! I received these two beautiful plants and am so excited. If anyone has any tips, I would love to read them. Happy holidays! #PlantAddict #HappyPlants #NewPlantMom #RarePlants #birthday
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New plant alert! My tradescantia ☺️ I cut off one of the stems to propagate, because it was a little damaged & flimsy. But off to a little quarantine time then find a permanent spot #TradescantiaZebrina
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Why So Leggy #Zebrina Hi guys, Pinky seems to be growing straight up and very leggy. I have her under grow lights, but I'm not sure what the deal is. My grow lights come in three different colors. Maybe I have the wrong color? They are red, blue, or white. I have her under white, full spectrum. Please help.
Care Summary for Tradescantia Zebrina
Tradescantia Zebrina
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 9 days
Placement
< 6ft 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
Fast grower 294
Easy to propagate 244
Survivor 204
Large, lush leaves 73
Blooms easily 39
Browns easily 39
Pest magnet 13
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