Tradescantia is a famous plant. She adorns many houses and institutions with her hanging shoots of green and colorful colors. They love this plant for its unpretentiousness and ease of care. Knowing the differences between varieties, forms and types will help to make a familiar addition to the tradescantia an effective addition to the interior of the house or decoration of the garden.
Tradescantia: appearance, origin, distribution
In nature, the tradescantia is a perennial herbaceous creeping plant with long straight or branched shoots and oval or elliptical leaves arranged alternately on the stem. The flowers are mostly inconspicuous, small, white, pink or blue, located with brushes on the top of the shoot or in the axils of the leaves. In decorative floriculture, tradescantia is valued for the beauty of foliage, not flowers. For the first time, the botanical characterization of this plant was given by the gardener of the English king Charles I - John Tradescant, whose name became the basis for the name.
Tradescantia hails from America, where different species of this plant are found from the northern regions of Argentina in South America to the border with Canada in the North.
Tradescantia is a perennial herbaceous creeping plant with long shoots
For successful breeding of plants in room culture, you need to know the features of its growth in vivo:
- in its homeland, tradescantia is considered a weed, prefers marshy, highly moist soils, mainly peat. They are poor in nutrients - therefore, tradescantia is unpretentious and does not require frequent feeding;
- ideal for the plant is a warm and humid climate;
- the illumination of the tradescantion is not important - it easily tolerates both full shadow and bright sunlight;
- as a plant of tropical climate, in the conditions of which it does not have periods of rest, the tradescantia is in the stage of active growth all year round.
Variety of types and forms of tradescantia
Tradescantia has many varieties and forms, striking in its diversity. This is due not only to the wide distribution of plants in various climatic zones, but also to the work of breeders. The following varieties, forms and types are most famous and popular among flower gardening lovers:
- Tradescantia zebrin, or zebra-like. One of the most popular and most famous species. This plant with drooping hanging shoots and colorful leaves: on the inside they are purple-violet, and on the outside they are green with white and silver stripes. Zebrin's flowers are three-petalled, purple. One of the popular varieties of Zebraina tradescantia is Violet Hill. It is easy to recognize by the central violet stripe on the outside of the leaf and silver blotches.
- Tradescantia Virgin. As the name implies, this species comes from Virginia. It is valued for its long flowering. Its flowers, unlike many other types of tradescantia, are bright and beautiful. They are large, three-petalled, mostly blue (the color can vary from white to pink-purple or blue). A distinctive feature is also long straight lanceolate leaves. Shoots reach a height of 60 cm.
- Tradescantia Anderson. This is a hybrid formed by crossing the Virginia tradescantia with other species. The result was the appearance of a plant with decorative leaves and beautiful large flowers of various colors. The leaves of Anderson's tradescantia are not only green, but yellow, purple, and mottled. Varieties with terry flowers are bred.
- Tradescantia is white-flowered. Most common as a well-known indoor plant. She has a drooping creeping stem and ovoid pale green leaves with longitudinal white stripes reaching 5 cm in length. In some varieties, the stripes may be golden or pinkish. Tradescantia rarely blooms, its flowers are small and inconspicuous.
- Tradescantia myrtolis (or riverine). It differs in small graceful leaves, reaching 3.5 cm in length, located on a purple stem. The leaves on the inside also have a purple color, on top they are saturated green. The flowers are small, flowering is plentiful.
- Tradescantia of Blossfeld. It differs from other species in the form of leaves pointed at the ends. Their length reaches 8 cm. The stems are thick, juicy, fleshy, creeping. The leaves are usually mottled: purple from the bottom, uniform green or green with white stripes and a pinkish tint on the outside. The flowers are pink, numerous, formed at the ends of the shoots.
- Tradescantia sillamontana. Its peculiarity lies in the leaves, which are covered with a white coating, similar to a felt cover.
- Tradescantia is hairy. This variety is rare. Its stems are erect, and small leaves are covered with thick hairs, forming a fluffy coating. The flowers are pink-lilac, bright.
- Tradescantia navicular. A very original representative of this family. It can be immediately recognized by its unusual leaves: succulent and fleshy, firmly pressed to the stems, slightly pubescent, pointed at the ends and shaped like a boat.
Photo gallery: types of tradescantia
- Variegated multi-colored leaves give a special “zest” to zebrin
- One of the most decorative varieties of zebra-like tradescantia, attracting attention with its unusual foliage colors - Violet Hill
- Beautiful long flowering makes the Virginia tradescantia an excellent decoration for both home and garden
- Tradescantia Anderson is indispensable for decorating gardens and summer cottages
- White-flowered tradescantia is easily recognizable by decorative leaves with stripes of white, golden or pink color.
- The originality of the tradescantia sillamontana is due to the presence of felt coating on the leaves
- The most popular variety in indoor floriculture is a variety with variegated leaves that have a purple-pink bloom on a white-green background - Tradescantia Blossfeld
- Hairy tradescantia is distinguished by the presence of hairs on the stem and leaves
- The scaphoid tradescantia got its name for the leaf shape resembling a boat
Reo, or Tradescantia vesicular
Reo belongs to the same family as the tradescantia - Commelinaceae. Previously, it was isolated as a separate genus of the family, but at present, reo is assigned to the genus of tradescantia. However, the external differences are very bright: the presence of rhizomes; thick, fleshy, not drooping stalk; elongated, stiff, large leaves reaching 30 cm in length and 5-7 cm in width. The leaves of reo are colorful, bright - purple-red on the lower side and juicy green on the upper. Flowering is very original: the flowers have the shape of a boat formed by bracts, inside of which there are inflorescences collected from several small buds. Reo for decorative foliage is appreciated.
Reo got its name in honor of the forest nymph. In addition to the main name, there are others under which this plant is known: Moses in a basket, Rook of Moses, the Boat of Moses and even the Cradle of Jesus, obtained for the similarity of the shape of leaves and bracts with a boat.
Reo - an atypical representative of the tradescantia
Table: Tradescantia content at home
| Lighting | Humidity | Air temperature | |
| Spring Summer | An ideal place to grow tradescantia at home is the western or eastern window. When located on the south side, shading is necessary. On the window facing the north side, the likelihood of elongation of the shoots, the loss of leaves of their decorativeness, a decrease or complete absence of flowering increases. It should be noted that different varieties require different conditions. For example, tradescantia, which have a scalp on the leaves, tolerate direct sunlight, which can cause burns on the leaves of more delicate varieties. Variegated forms are more sensitive to light: bright rays of the sun can cause blanching of leaves, and a deep shadow can change the pattern. | High humidity positively affects the growth and development of tradescantia. The plant responds well to frequent spraying of leaves. | 20-25 ° C. |
| Autumn winter | In winter, when central heating batteries drastically dry air in urban apartments, the use of an air humidifier will be very beneficial for the plant. | The plant tolerates temperature differences up to 12 ° C. If possible, it is better to provide a cold winter for the tradescantia. However, the plant grows well all winter without a dormant period. |
Transshipment and transfer
When transshipment, an earthen lump with roots does not collapse, while transplanting, the old earth is completely replaced by new. Thus, transshipment is more gentle for any plant.
Transshipment plants
Transshipment of a plant is usually carried out when it needs a more spacious pot. This can be determined by the roots, which, growing, braid the entire earthen lump and begin to peek out from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
Transshipment is carried out as follows:
- You need to choose the right pot for the plant. The size of the container is defined as follows: between the old pot and the new one, if you put them one in the other, a distance of 1-1.5 cm should remain. Tradescantia prefers shallow and wide containers.
- The substrate for tradescantia should be quite loose and nutritious. Any ready-made universal primer sold in stores is suitable for it. If desired, you can make the mixture yourself, taking the soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. A drainage layer of 1-2 cm is necessary to eliminate excess moisture during irrigation and creates optimal conditions for the development of the root system of the plant. You can use any material that transmits water: sand, expanded clay, small shards, broken brick, gravel, gravel.
- The earthen lump of the plant must be moist before handling.
- The plant must be removed from the pot with a lump of earth, without disturbing it. To do this, use such techniques as tipping the pot upside down while tapping on its bottom. If the pot is soft (shipping), you can gently crush it from all sides, gradually moving the earthen ball out.
- Topsoil should be shaken off as far as possible.
- In a new pot, on a drainage layer, pour a layer of substrate with the calculation so that the earthen lump can be placed in such a way that the root neck is 2-3 cm below the surface of the pot.
- Place the plant, fill the gaps between the pot and a lump of soil with roots with a soil mixture, making sure that there are no voids left. The soil needs to be well compacted.
- Water the tradescantia well.
Transshipment - a gentle method of transplanting indoor plants
Transfer
The transplantation will differ from transshipment primarily in that it violates the integrity of the earthen coma, removes rotten roots and old depleted soil. Usually, the need for transplantation occurs once every 2-3 years (or in cases when the plant is sick).
For the correct transplantation transplant you need:
- Prepare a new pot, soil mixture and drainage in the same way as during transhipment.
- The plant must be carefully removed from the pot, gradually shaking the earthen lump, carefully separating the roots from the soil and from each other.
- Carefully inspect the roots, remove dry, diseased or decayed parts.
- Plant tradescantia in a new pot with prepared drainage and substrate. The soil mixture should be poured gradually, spreading the roots, and making sure that the soil is evenly distributed between the roots. Compact the soil.
- Water the plant.
Video: how to transplant tradescantia
Care
Tradescantia is a plant that tolerates adverse conditions. If you do not have the opportunity to engage in regular care, then the tradescant will survive this. But if you want to get a beautiful magnificent bush, then you should not neglect the rules of care.
It is also noteworthy for its unpretentiousness and ease of care Roellia: //diz-cafe.com/rastenija/ruelliya-uhod-v-domashnih-usloviyah-foto.html
Watering
Tradescantia is a hygrophilous plant. The intensity of irrigation depends on the time of year, on humidity and air temperature. An indicator of the need for irrigation is a slight drying of the surface of an earthen coma. At high air temperatures, watering is usually required once every 2 days, at lower temperatures once a week.
Water for irrigation tradescantia should be soft, settled for several days.
Top dressing
Fertilizing tradescantia is mandatory during the period of active growth, namely from March to September - October. In winter, if the plant has a dormant period (it is kept at low temperatures), top dressing is not needed. If in winter the tradescantia is located in rooms with a high air temperature, and there is no rest period as such, then feeding can be continued, but their frequency can be reduced.
Any complex mineral dressing is suitable for fertilizing tradescantia. The frequency is usually once a week in the summer, and once every 2-3 weeks in the winter.
Any complex dressing that can be purchased at the store is suitable for fertilizing the tradescantia.
Flowering period
Although tradescantia is mainly grown for beautiful flowering shoots with multi-colored ornamental foliage, flowering in most varieties is also of interest. White, violet, pink or blue small flowers located in the axils of the leaves and at the ends of the shoots in combination with the juicy color of the foliage give the plant a special charm. The flowering of a room tradescant can be stimulated by a cold wintering and a decrease in the frequency of watering, a change in lighting conditions.
If the problem of intermittent flowering arose in garden varieties of tradescantia, then, most likely, the problem is in adverse growing conditions, insufficient watering, the need to update the plant (usually every 4-5 years).
Flowering of a room tradescantia can be stimulated by a cold wintering and a decrease in the frequency of watering
Features of preparing for winter
For indoor species of tradescantia, wintering and resting periods are not particularly important, although this is preferable. If it is not possible from November to March to find a place with a temperature of 12 ° C to 15 ° C, then the tradescantia will also grow in winter, delighting with the greenery of shoots.
For a garden tradescant, everything is completely different. After the growing season, it must be prepared for wintering: cut off the ground part of the plant and sprinkle (mulch) the soil with peat or humus. Otherwise, the plant may not tolerate the winter period.
Tradescantia in the garden needs to be prepared for wintering: cut off the ground part of the plant and mulch the soil with peat or humus
Tradescant Formation
Nipping the tradescant should be carried out regularly - it helps tillering, the formation of lateral shoots, improves the appearance. With age, the plant loses its decorative effect: shoots are exposed, leaves dry out. In this case, pruning will help. New young shoots will come from the root, and trimmed stems can subsequently be rooted.
Plant support
Most often, tradescantia is grown in hanging pots or a cache-pot as an ampoule plant - hanging lashes of green or variegated leaves look spectacular. But there are options for the unusual use of tradescanti for room decor. For example, using fastenings for stems of tradescantia on the wall, you can create an unusual living decorative wicker decoration. An interesting option is the use of a vertical support.
Various supports for tradescantia can be advantageously beaten in the decor of the premises
Creation of florarium
The conditions of care necessary for the tradescantia allow you to create compositions for the florarium, a closed ecosystem in an aquarium or a bottle, using this plant. The good ratio of tradescantia to increased soil and air humidity makes it an excellent plant for tropical florarium.
The most famous and unusual florarium with tradescantia was created by the English amateur grower David Latimer. His "garden in a bottle" with tradescantia has been growing closed for 40 years! The plant filled the entire volume of the bottle, and was watered only 2 times: during planting and 10 years after it.
Tradescantia in the grower of Florist David Latimer has been growing for several decades
Table: Tradescantia Care Errors
| Problem | Cause | Remedial measures |
| The tips of the leaves are dry. | Dry air. | To increase humidity in the room or to carry out frequent spraying of tradescantia. |
| Leaves turn yellow. | A little moisture. | Increase watering. |
| Variegated leaves turn green. | The plant lacks light. | Relocate to a more lighted place. |
| Stems are pulled and leaves are shrinking. | A sign of lack of light and fertilizing. | Adjust the feeding mode, provide tradescantia with more light. |
| The stems at the base became soft and turned brown. | The stalk and root rotted. This occurs when the tradescantion is overfilled or its water is too cold. | At the initial stage of decay, you can try to save the plant by trimming and rooting the healthy parts of the stem. |
| Faded leaf colors. | Excessive lighting. | Rearrange the plant in a shaded place. |
Photo gallery: the result of tradescan care mistakes
- The reason for the dry tips of the leaves is insufficient humidity
- Tradescantia leaves turn yellow with insufficient watering
- Protect the plant from direct sunlight to preserve the bright colors of the leaves.
Diseases and pests of tradescantia
If the plant withers, dries and loses its attractive appearance, you should check to see if pests have appeared on the bush.
Table: Typical Diseases and Pests
| Pests and diseases | Signs and Symptoms | How to fight |
| Aphid | Damages young shoots and leaves. In this case, the shoots die off, and the leaves lose their color and curl. A sticky coating appears. | Spraying with special insecticides (Actellik, Fufanon, Fitoverm) or with a solution of laundry soap, laundry detergent. For prevention, treatment is recommended to be repeated after 2-3 weeks. |
| Shield | The appearance on the leaves and stems of small brown plaques. Blanching and falling of leaves. Sticky coating. | Mechanical treatment - rubbing the stems and leaves with a sponge with a soap solution, spraying with insecticides. |
| Thrips | They differ in small sizes, so it is not easy to detect them. Colorless or yellowish spots appear on the leaves, the leaf dries out. Small black dots are visible on the underside of the leaf blade. |
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| Spider mite | The appearance of cobwebs on the underside of the leaf and in the internodes is especially pronounced when spraying. The plant withers, the leaves turn pale, fall off. |
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| Sooty mushroom | Appears on the outside of the sheet in the form of a film of dark color. Violates the respiration of the plant. Often, its appearance is associated with the presence of other pests, since it settles on sticky secretions of aphids, scale insects and thrips. |
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Photo gallery: signs of pest infection
- With severe infection, small insects of green, black or gray color are visible
- The appearance on the leaves and stems of small brown growths means infection with scabies
- Thrips are small black insects that are hard to see.
- One of the main signs of the tick is the cobweb that it leaves on the underside of the leaves and stem
- Dark plaque on the leaves - the main symptom of damage with soot fungus
Propagation of tradescantia
Tradescantia propagated by seeds and cuttings.
Cuttings
The easiest and most convenient way to propagate tradescantia is cuttings. Its shoots easily and quickly give roots and later take root. Thus, tradescantia can be propagated from early spring to late autumn, excluding only the winter months, when root formation is very slow. For cuttings, young shoots of tradescantia at least 15 cm long are suitable. They root perfectly in ordinary warm water at air temperatures above 20 ° C. After the appearance of the roots, the cuttings are planted in the soil substrate in compliance with all the requirements for planting: drainage, optimal soil mixture, suitable volume of the pot, timely watering.
Planting several shoots in one pot at the same time giving the plant a special decorative effect and splendor.
For cuttings, young shoots of tradescantia at least 15 cm long are suitable
Video: propagation of tradescantia by cuttings
Seed propagation
Propagation of tradescantia by seeds is not as popular as cuttings, but no less effective. Often it is used for growing garden species. Planting a plant with seeds is carried out in spring, usually in March. Seeds are planted in a prepared container with soil substrate (the best option is a light and loose mixture of peat and sand in a 1: 1 ratio) or in peat tablets. The soil should be moist, but not moist. Seeds are scattered on the surface of the soil and slightly covered with a substrate on top. The container with seeds must be closed with a plastic film or glass, creating the effect of a greenhouse with constant humidity and temperature. The emergence of seedlings must be expected no earlier than 2 weeks after planting. Subsequently, the seedlings are planted in separate pots. This procedure is carried out after the appearance of the third leaflet.
The tradescantia grown from seeds will bloom 3 years after planting.
The appearance of the third leaf is a sign of the readiness of the tradescant for transplantation
Useful reviews about growing a plant
Tradescant Blossfeld - well, a very moody person. Roots well in the spring, the rest is difficult. Once a stalk, put into water in September, stood thoughtfully in the water until March. Then he gave roots. It does not tolerate gulf, cold, heat. He loves light, but from the sun can burn. The most difficult time for her is winter. Another whim - loves to let out shoots with green leaves. They need to be plucked, otherwise it will turn green.
Lena Us//www.flowersweb.info/forum/forum1/topic109928/message2930638/#message2930638
I have 2 varieties of garden tradescantia. One blue (bought from hand), and the second Bilberry Ice. They grow under the canopy of a spreading barberry. They bloom normally. They are preferable to plant at partial shade, because in the bright sun, one-day flowers wither before noon. Although it is often written that the tradescantia prefers bright sun.
masleno//forum.prihoz.ru/viewtopic.php?t=3267
A flower that is very easy to grow and propagate, but very beautiful with a good attitude to it. It does not require special growing conditions, tolerates shade, but the color of the leaf will be brighter in good light. Likes watering and spraying. With a lack of water, the leaves will dry out, the shoots can become sluggish. Propagated by cuttings, shoots, which are very easy to take root in moist, light soil. Rooting, it gives rapid growth and side shoots, if you pinch it, you can get a whole bush from one shoot. It is very beautiful if you plant several shoots in one pot. Looks great in a cache-pot, in a suspended state, but also simply beautiful on a window.
Cuckoo//vseotzyvy.ru/item/11056/review/93306/
The garden tradescantia of the Blushing Bride variety in our Russian climate is an annual, does not winter. You can cut and root cuttings in water in autumn, they give good roots, and then grow in winter as an indoor tradescantia. But when grown indoors, these beautiful pink stripes at the base of the leaf disappear. As soon as in the spring you plant her in the garden, they reappear. And in the ground, it "gets fatter" and "prettier." But when there are many different tradescantes nearby, they easily cross-pollinate and give multi-colored self-seeding, as pick faded flowers from them - that’s another lesson!
Veronica//forum.tvoysad.ru/viewtopic.php?t=2070
Have you ever had the experience of growing tradescantia under water? In childhood, in my first aquarium with fish (all kinds of guppies lived then, swordsmen) I decided to do this. I read in the Soviet book on aquarium studies that the tradescantia will perfectly survive such an execution. Brought from school a regular green stalk, tied to a stone, lowered to the bottom ... without any adaptation. And it began to grow !! It changed very much, stretched out, the leaves changed shape. From each node, a separate trunk began to grow vertically up to the surface. It turned out such a green wall. On the surface, the leaves returned to their previous shape. It was only later that I read that such a feature of the tradescantia is due to its habitat - during the rainstorms it completely submerges under water and continues to grow, as before.
powaqqatsi//www.floralworld.ru/forum/index.php/topic,151.135.html
Observing the simple rules of caring for the tradescantia, you can get a wonderful plant that adorns the house and garden. Tradescantia pleases with beautiful foliage and flowering, in addition, it has healing properties: it has an antimicrobial effect and helps to cleanse the air.
