Wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina): Trailing Purple-Silver Foliage

Wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina), also called inch plant, is a popular trailing houseplant and ground cover with striking leaves—deep purple on top with two broad silver stripes, and rich magenta underneath. The succulent stems root at nodes, spreading quickly.

Uses

Excellent in hanging baskets, mixed containers, or as a fast-growing ground cover in frost-free shade gardens. Small, three-petaled pink flowers appear intermittently but are secondary to the foliage. The plant is tender (zones 9–11) but grows rapidly as an annual elsewhere.

Care

Bright, indirect light (tolerates low light but loses color intensity). Keep soil evenly moist; it wilts dramatically when dry but recovers quickly. Pinch stems to encourage branching. Very easy to propagate from stem cuttings in water or soil.

Taxonomy

• Family: Commelinaceae
• Genus: Tradescantia
• Species: zebrina
• Synonyms: Tradescantia pendula, Zebrina pendula var. quadrifolia, Commelina zebrina