Tradescantia Care: Inch Plant Growing Guide

Tradescantia care is easy, and this is one of the fastest-growing houseplants you can buy. Often called inch plant or spiderwort, Tradescantia includes trailing species with striped, silvery or purple leaves, such as T. zebrina, T. fluminensis and T. pallida ('Purple Heart'). Stems grow several centimetres a week in good conditions, root wherever they touch moist soil, and look great in hanging baskets. The trade-off is that they get leggy fast without enough light and regular pinching.

Tradescantia care at a glance

Popular types

Light

Tradescantia wants bright light. A spot near a south, east or west window with a few hours of gentle direct sun keeps leaves colourful and stems tight. In summer, filter harsh afternoon sun to prevent scorching. Purple and pink types need the most light; 'Purple Heart' goes green and floppy in medium light.

In low light, you'll see long gaps between leaves, small leaves, and faded colour. A grow light helps in dark rooms. Use the plant light meter converter to check your spot.

Watering

Water when the top 2 to 3 cm of soil is dry. Tradescantia likes more water than succulents but less than ferns. In warm, bright weather that may be weekly; in winter, every two weeks or less. Water at the soil, not over the leaves, because water sitting in the leaf joints can lead to rot in cool rooms.

Try the plant watering schedule builder for a starting routine, and see how to water houseplants.

Soil and pots

Any free-draining houseplant compost works, ideally with some perlite. Use a pot with drainage holes. Tradescantia looks fullest in a wide, shallow pot or hanging basket with several cuttings planted together. It doesn't need frequent repotting, because most growers refresh it with cuttings every year or two instead.

Humidity and temperature

Average home humidity is fine. Very dry air gives crispy brown leaf tips; grouping plants helps. Temperatures of 15 to 27°C suit it. Check your room with the plant humidity checker.

Feeding

Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength. Too much nitrogen gives lots of green growth and weaker colour. Use the fertilizer dilution calculator for the dose.

Pruning a leggy tradescantia

Tradescantia stems naturally lose their lower leaves as they age. Regular pinching is the key to a full plant:

1. Every few weeks, pinch or snip stem tips just above a leaf node.
2. Remove bare, straggly stems back to the soil.
3. Root the trimmings (see below) and push them back into the pot.
4. Rotate the pot so all sides get light.

Doing this regularly means you'll rarely need to start again from scratch.

Propagation

Few plants root as easily.

1. Cut a 10 cm tip just below a node.
2. Strip the lower leaves so 2 to 3 nodes are bare.
3. Root in water (roots in about a week) or push straight into moist compost.
4. Plant 5 to 10 cuttings together in one pot for a full look.

See how to propagate houseplants for more.

Common problems

Starting over with an old plant

Tradescantia doesn't age gracefully. After two or three years, even a well-pruned plant tends to have woody, bare stems near the base and leaves only at the tips. Rather than trying to rescue it, use it as a source of cuttings:

1. Take 15 to 20 healthy tip cuttings, each 10 cm long.
2. Fill a fresh pot with new compost.
3. Push the cuttings in around the pot, about 3 cm apart, with two nodes below the surface.
4. Water lightly and keep in bright, indirect light for a week, then move to its normal sunny spot.

Within six to eight weeks you'll have a full, compact plant again. Many growers do this every spring as routine.

Why are my tradescantia leaves turning brown?

Brown, papery leaves at the base of stems are normally just old leaves dying off, which is natural; pick them off. Brown leaves throughout the plant usually mean the soil dried out completely, the air is very dry, or the plant is sitting in hot afternoon sun. Brown, mushy stems point to overwatering. Check the soil and the position, then adjust. For a wider look at leaf symptoms, see plant leaf problems.

Pet safety

The ASPCA lists inch plant (Tradescantia fluminensis, also sold as wandering Jew) as toxic to cats and dogs, with dermatitis as the main sign; the sap irritates skin, and chewing can upset the stomach. Some people also get itchy skin from the sap, so wear gloves when pruning large amounts. Hang it out of reach, and check other plants with the plant toxicity checker or choose from pet-safe houseplants.

A note on names and invasiveness

"Wandering Jew" is an old common name that many growers now avoid; "inch plant", "spiderwort" or the botanical name are common alternatives. Outdoors in mild, frost-free climates, T. fluminensis can spread aggressively and is listed as invasive in parts of the US southeast, New Zealand and Australia. Don't dump trimmings in gardens or compost in those areas.

Seasonal care

Tradescantia outdoors

In summer, tradescantia makes a colourful trailing plant for shaded containers, window boxes and hanging baskets outdoors. Acclimatise it gradually and protect it from harsh afternoon sun. Bring it in before nights drop below about 10°C, or take cuttings to overwinter indoors.

Where to grow it

Good places include a hanging basket in a sunny kitchen, the top of a bookcase near a bright window, or a shelf under a grow light. Trailing stems need room to hang freely, so keep them clear of radiators and busy walkways where they get knocked.

Bottom line

Tradescantia needs bright light, evenly moist but well-drained soil, light feeding, and regular pinching. Its biggest weakness, legginess, is easy to fix because cuttings root in days. Keep it out of reach of pets and refresh it with cuttings every year for a full, colourful plant.

Sources: NC State Extension, Tradescantia zebrina; NC State Extension, Tradescantia pallida; ASPCA, Inch plant.