How to grow Tradescantia

Tradescantia zebrina · Wandering Jew, Inch plant, zebra plant

Fast-growing trailing plant from Mexico to Colombia with leaves striped green and silver above and purple beneath. Popular in hanging baskets; small lavender-purple flowers appear only now and then indoors.

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Family	Commelinaceae
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Soil for sowing	from 10 °C
Where it grows	At home

When to plant

Sow straight into the bed after your last spring frost, once the soil has warmed.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	18…24 °C	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 44 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 74 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 104 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 134 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 164 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 194 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 14 days	10…24 °C	—

Growing notes

Light

Bright, filtered light keeps the colours strongest. Strong direct sun can wash the colour out, and in low light the stems lose their lower leaves and the stripes fade.

Soil

Loam-based potting compost that stays moist but drains well; soggy soil causes root and stem rot.

Care

Water regularly but let the soil dry out between waterings, and water sparingly in winter. It does best at 18–24 °C. Feed a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly while it is growing. Cut it back hard each spring and trim leggy stems for denser growth; the tips root easily as cuttings. The sap can irritate skin, and eating it irritates the mouth and stomach of children and pets.

Pests and diseases of Tradescantia

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.