Meet the Tradescantia—or as many of us call it, the Spiderwort. This plant is a total rockstar in the gardening world because it’s incredibly diverse and, honestly, one of the easiest plants to keep alive. Whether you’re looking for different sizes, funky leaf colors, or unique growth habits, there’s a Tradescantia out there for you. While most varieties love life in a perennial garden, quite a few make fantastic houseplants too.
The Versatile Spiderwort
With so many species out there, it’s hard to pick favorites! But they all share one major trait: they are super low-maintenance. Once you’ve found the perfect spot for them, these beauties will stick around for years. Plus, the garden varieties are surprisingly hardy and can handle the winter like a champ.
Leaves and Blooms
Some Tradescantia types aren’t big on flowering, but they make up for it with stunning foliage. The leaves are always pointed, but the colors are all over the map—ranging from bright lime green to deep forest tones, often with a surprise purple underside. You’ll even find striped varieties, famously known as “Inch Plants” or “Zebra Plants.”
For the flowering types, you can expect charming three-petaled blooms in shades of blue, pink, white, or violet. Here’s a fun fact: each individual flower only stays open for a single day! Don’t worry, though—the plant is a blooming machine, constantly replacing old flowers with new ones right through the fall.
Popular Tradescantia Varieties
To give you an idea of just how diverse this tropical family is, check out these fan favorites:
- Tradescantia albiflora: Hailing from South America, this one has a compact habit with trailing stems and dainty white flowers.
- Tradescantia cerinthoides: This Argentine native features creeping or hanging fuzzy stems. The leaves are a dark olive green on top with hairy purple undersides, and the flowers are a cool two-tone pink and white.
- Tradescantia pallida (Purple Heart): A Mexican native with fleshy, trailing stems and striking violet-red leaves. It produces pale purple flowers that really pop against the dark foliage.
- Tradescantia spathacea (Moses-in-the-Cradle): Coming from Central America and the Caribbean, this one grows in a loose rosette. The leaves are dark green on top and deep red underneath, tucked around small white flowers.
- Tradescantia zebrina (Inch Plant): Another Mexican gem with trailing stems and striped leaves (green with silver-grey or pink bands and purple bottoms). It’s a classic for hanging baskets and sports cute pink blossoms.
Location and Care
If you want your Tradescantia to be happy, give it a bright spot with plenty of sunshine. They love soil that’s a bit loamy or clay-heavy, as long as you keep it consistently moist. Just a heads-up: avoid “wet feet” at all costs! Standing water can lead to root rot, which is a quick way to lose your plant. On the flip side, if you’re hitting a summer dry spell, make sure to give them some extra water. These plants are also big eaters, so they love nutrient-rich soil. Mixing in a little compost in the spring will keep them thriving all season long!
