Tradescantia
Tradescantia zebrina, T. pallida & 'Nanouk'
Through the year 🗓️
☀️ Summer now
Water often in the heat and give it bright light to keep the purple saturated.
🍂 Fall
Taper water and feed, and take backup cuttings before growth slows.
❄️ Winter
Water sparingly, hold the fertilizer, and expect some thinning until spring.
🌱 Spring
Cut it back hard and root the trimmings in the same pot for a fuller plant.
The details
Light & placement
- Light
- Bright indirect with some gentle morning sun; purple color washes out to green in low light
- Ideal PPFD
- 150–400 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹
- Grow-light distance
- 12–24 in below LED
Water & feed
- Watering method
- Water thoroughly when the top inch dries, then drain. Stems are semi-succulent and forgive a missed watering better than a soggy one.
- Fertilizer
- Balanced liquid feed at ½ strength, monthly in spring–summer.
Home & habit
- Soil
- Standard houseplant mix with perlite; pH 5.5–6.5
- Humidity
- Average (40–60%)
- Temperature
- 60–80 °F
- Mature size
- Trails 1–3 ft; spreads fast
- Repotting
- Yearly, or just restart from cuttings, since old plants go bald at the base
- Propagation
- Stem cuttings root in days in water or soil. Famously effortless.
When something looks wrong
- Overwatering signs
- Mushy translucent stems, rot at the soil line, dropped leaves
- Underwatering signs
- Limp stems, faded dry leaves, crispy tips
- Common pests
- Spider mites, aphids, fungus gnats
Common problems 🩺
The usual suspects when Tradescantia looks unhappy. Most houseplant trouble is watering or light, not disease — see all plant problems if you are not sure which plant is the culprit.
Long bare stems with leaves only at the tips
Likely cause
Its natural habit, made much worse by low light.
What to do
Pinch the tips constantly and give it bright light. Cuttings root in water in days — replant them into the same pot to refill it.
Purple or striped color fading to green
Likely cause
Not enough light.
What to do
Bright indirect light with some gentle morning sun brings the color back on new growth.
Mushy stems collapsing at soil level
Likely cause
Overwatering. The soft stems rot readily.
What to do
Let the top inch dry between waterings and make sure the pot drains.
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