Inch plant, spiderwort, Wandering Dude, whatever you call them, tradescantia is the perfect houseplant for when you get tired of all the philodendrons that look the same.
Tradescantia, which are native to the Americas, have striking foliage.
Some have leaves that seem to shimmer, and others have leaves of the deepest emerald on one side and burgundy on the other. Some have stripes that almost look as though they’re made of silver. There are inch plants with tiny leaves on the most delicate stems; others have large leaves cascading down thick stems.
There are even soft, fuzzy tradescantia. But no matter which you choose to grow, you should know a few things about this popular houseplant.
1. Tradescantia are Virtually Unkillable
Inch plants might just be the easiest houseplant to keep alive. Their ability to thrive in nearly all parts of the world has landed them on several invasive species lists. But this ability to grow no matter where they’re planted makes them the perfect houseplant. They’re even on our list of Hard to Kill Houseplants.
These hardy plants always seem to bounce back no matter how sad-looking they get from neglect.
If you travel or are a forgetful waterer, this houseplant is for you. They’re very forgiving and will fit into any space. They can be kept quite compact or large and bushy. And they make a stunning hanging plant with long trailing stems of colorful foliage.
They aren’t super picky about soil, and as long as you don’t overwater them too often, they’re relatively disease-free. As far as pests go, spider mites can sometimes be a problem, but they’re easily dealt with by misting the plant once a week.
And even if you forget all those things, an inch plant will probably still survive.
2. Easy to Propagate and Start New Plants
Tradescantia are incredibly easy to propagate; it’s part of what makes them grow so easily. Anywhere a node touches the soil, it will put out roots and begin growing. You don’t even have to bother with water.
Simply place stems in a pot of moist soil so that the leaf node is below the soil. The more stems you poke in the dirt, the fuller your plant will be. Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag to keep in moisture, and within a couple of weeks, the stems will have roots.
If you’ve already got a tradescantia and it’s looking a little thin, lay one of the trailing stems across the surface of the soil. Wherever there is a leaf node, it will put down roots and start growing new stems.