Tradescantia zebrina
Family. Commelinaceae.
The birthplace of the flower. Mexico and Guatemala.
Description. Tradescantia zebrina is a herbaceous evergreen perennial plant. The bush grows quickly, its stems can reach 180 cm in length. The leaves are sessile, oval or lanceolate, 5-10 cm long, with sharp tips, of very varied colors, but all have stripes. Young leaf blades and the underside of adult leaves are purple. Pink, white or purple small flowers with 3 petals appear in spring and summer, but are of little value.
Height. The plant has drooping stems up to 180 cm long, but it grows no higher than 15 cm in height.
Caring at home
Growing, pruning
Pinch out the tips of long stems regularly to encourage branching if you want a compact plant. Tradescantia zebrina will happily go outside in the warm season, but protect the bushes from wind and rain and place them in partial shade.
Reproduction
It is very easy to propagate by stem cuttings about 8 cm long. Remove the lower leaves from the cuttings and root in a damp mixture of peat and sand or in a simple glass of water. Rooting will take 3 - 4 weeks. The stems can root on their own when in contact with the ground.
When blooms
Flowering time is in spring - summer.
Watering
Water deeply and often enough during the warmer months to keep the soil moist most of the time. Reduce the frequency of watering in winter, as the plant will slow down its growth.
Diseases and pests
If there is not enough light, the plant will have elongated stems and faded leaves. Variegated leaves turn green and lose color when exposed to excess light and excess fertilizer. The plant may rot if overwatered.
Pests sometimes include aphids and spider mites, scale insects and thrips.
How to replant
Transplantation is carried out in spring, when the roots have filled the entire pot. A shallow and wide bowl is suitable for planting.
Soil
Well-drained soil, a mixture of 2 parts peat and 1 part perlite or coarse river sand is suitable.
Light
Needs a lot of light; when grown in partial shade, the variegated color of the leaves disappears. Do not expose the plant to direct sunlight - during the daytime it can leave burns on the leaves. If there is a lack of light, drooping shoots of zebrina may straighten up in an attempt to raise the leaves higher towards the light source. It develops well under artificial illumination with fluorescent lamps.
Temperature of keeping
The flower tolerates a wide range of temperatures. When grown in warm conditions, it develops faster, when kept in cool conditions, growth slows down. It can be kept at normal room temperature all year round, if there is artificial lighting in the winter months.
Fertilizer
Feed zebrina regularly during the growing season - 2 times a month with liquid fertilizers at half concentration. Remember that too much fertilizer can cause the color of the leaves to fade.
Spraying
It tolerates the dryness of heated rooms well, but sometimes the leaves become wrinkled or their tips turn brown - in this case it is necessary to increase the air humidity.
Purpose
Tradescantia zebrina is often grown in hanging baskets to show off its long, beautiful stems, sometimes tied to a trellis, or used as a ground cover species.
Note
Contact with the sap during pruning or transplanting can cause skin irritation. With age, the bush often bares the lower part of the stems - in this case, it is better to replace it with a new, young seedling.
Hydroponics
Tradescantia zebrina is suitable for growing hydroponically.