Botanical Title: Tradescantia zebrina
Gentle, humidity and water are the keys to Inch Plant care. Give this tropical native what it desires and it’ll reward you with colourful, glistening foliage, making it a surprising houseplant all yr spherical.
Its lengthy, fleshy stems are densely lined with lance-shaped leaves which can be about 2 in (5 cm) lengthy. Every inexperienced and purple leaf is marked with 2 broad silvery bands, and is darkish purplish beneath.
Small, 3-petaled flowers could seem in spring, however they’re not showy in comparison with the colourful foliage.
Greatest generally known as a dangling plant, the Inch Plant is easy-care and fast-growing. To indicate it off, show your trailing houseplant in a plant hanger, ornamental plant sconce or on a plant stand.
Coloful foliage makes Inch Plant an ever-popular trailing houseplant. Picture: TammarazziInch Plant Care, Options and Particular Helps
Pinch and prune. Pinch stems again to maintain Inch Plant from getting too leggy. One of the best time to prune is in spring and summer season, throughout this plant’s most vigorous season of progress. You’ll be able to simply propagate the stem cuttings for extra vegetation. Older stems will naturally lose a few of their leaves and might be reduce off on the soil degree.
Look ahead to pests. Aphids are small, greenish bugs which can be drawn to new progress, which this plant has in abundance. Search for them on the stems of recent shoots. Additionally look ahead to webbing between stems and on the undersides of leaves, a tell-tale signal of spider mites. They don’t seem to be widespread, however spider mites could infest houseplants throughout the winter months when indoor air is dry. Use a cool-mist room humidifier close to your plant to discourage them — and your tropical houseplant will love the humidity!
Repot in spring, solely when Inch Plant outgrows its pot. Transfer to at least one simply 1-2 inches bigger as a result of a pot that is too massive will maintain an excessive amount of water. The best solution to stop soggy soil is to make use of a container with drainage holes. If you wish to cowl up a plain pot, slip it right into a cachepot — an ornamental planter with out drainage holes. I put small rocks within the backside of cachepots to maintain the internal pot above the drainage water.
Brown leaf ideas are brought on by dry air or dry potting combine. Inch plant care consists of common watering and holding the humidity excessive.
Is Tradescantia toxic? Sure, this in style houseplant is poisonous to cats, canine and other people. Sadly, these lengthy, trailing stems are engaging to cats — one other good motive to pot it in a dangling basket, out of attain. Dealing with this plant may additionally irritate pores and skin for some folks, so it is a good suggestion to put on gloves whereas pruning and repotting Inch Plant.
Shopping for Ideas
A number of species within the Spiderwort household share the widespread title Inch Plant. Select the one you want, they’re all simple to develop. And all are vigorous growers, too. If you happen to purchase a small plant, you will not wait lengthy for these lush, trailing stems to spill over the perimeters of a container.
Tradescantia albiflora is likely one of the most typical. Each ‘Variegata’ and ‘Quicksilver’ cultivars have inexperienced leaves variegated with creamy white.
Tradescantia nanouk sports activities beautiful inexperienced and pink stripes, with darkish pink undersides.
Tradescantia zebrina (proven right here) has beautiful green-and-purple foliage, glistening with bands of silver. ‘Quadricolor’ has striped leaves in inexperienced, silver, purple and pink.
Shimmering inexperienced and purple leaves make Inch Plant irresistible.Inch Plant Care Ideas
Origin: Mexico and South America
Top: Stems can path to 2 ft (60 cm) or extra.
Gentle: Vivid, oblique mild. Lengthy areas between leaves are brought on by too little mild. Pinch off leggy stems and transfer your plant to a brighter spot. Leaves may even lose their variegation if they do not get sufficient mild.
Water: Preserve soil evenly moist within the rising season, barely drier in winter. Use a pot with drainage holes; water totally until water comes out the underside, then empty drainage tray. With Inch Plant care ought to be taken to not permit soggy soil — a sure-fire solution to kill it. Stems that look wilted could also be an indication of root rot. Minimize off any withered stems and permit potting combine to dry out a bit earlier than watering once more.
Humidity: Attempt to preserve 45% relative humidity or increased for Inch Plant care. Indoor air can turn into extraordinarily dry throughout the winter months with out our noticing it. It is a good suggestion to make use of a humidity monitor close to your houseplant, fairly than guess. If leaf ideas flip brown, the air is just too dry. Enhance moisture through the use of a cool-mist room humidifier.
Temperature: Common room temperatures 65-75°F/18-24°C go well with this tropical year-round. It’ll tolerate a winter minimal of 55°F/13°C.
Soil: Peat moss based mostly potting combine with added perlite works finest as a result of it’s a looser combine for sooner drainage. African violet potting combine is right.
Fertilizer: Feed each 2 weeks throughout spring and summer season with a balanced (10-10-10 NPK) water-soluble fertilizer diluted by half. Tradescantia is just not a heavy feeder. Too a lot fertilizer could cause the leaves to lose their variegation.
Propagation: Straightforward to propagate from stem tip cuttings. Take 3 in (7.5 cm) cuttings in spring or summer season and place in moist soil. Cuttings will root in about 3 weeks.
Extra to Discover
Moses within the Cradle and Purple Coronary heart Plant are stunning kinfolk of this plant household.
