Tradescantia is a beautiful, fast-growing ornamental hanging plant commonly cultivated in homes, on balconies, and in pots. Its scientific name is *Tradescantia zebrina*. Its leaves may feature green, purple, or silvery stripes, making it visually very attractive. This plant has a creeping or trailing growth habit, making it an excellent choice for planting in hanging pots. Tradescantia flowers are small, three-petaled, and come in shades of pink, purple, or white. It is easy to grow—requiring minimal maintenance—and propagates rapidly via cuttings. The plant thrives in low light, with moderate watering, and in well-draining soil.
Scientific Name: Tradescantia zebrina
Some Basic Information about Tradescantia (Wandering Jew / Inch Plant) - Indoor hanging plant
Habit: Perennial, evergreen creeping or trailing herb; forms dense mats or cascading stems, usually 30–100 cm long, spreading rapidly under suitable conditions
Root: Adventitious roots arise from nodes; roots develop easily when nodes come in contact with soil or moist surfaces, aiding vegetative propagation
Stem: Prostrate or trailing, soft, succulent, branched; green to purplish in color; nodes distinct; stems are fragile but root quickly
Leaf: Alternate, simple, sessile or shortly petiolate; ovate to lanceolate; margin entire; surface smooth, often variegated with green, silver, and purple stripes; lower surface typically purple; texture soft and slightly fleshy
Inflorescence: Axillary or terminal cymes, often enclosed in boat-shaped bracts; few-flowered clusters
Flower: Bracteate, complete, actinomorphic, bisexual; small but showy; usually white, pink, or purple
Calyx: Sepals 3, free, green, slightly hairy; valvate aestivation
Corolla: Petals 3, free, delicate, brightly colored; imbricate aestivation
Androecium: Stamens 6, free; filaments often bearded (hairy); anthers yellow, dehiscing longitudinally
Gynoecium: Ovary superior, tricarpellary, syncarpous; trilocular with axile placentation; style single, stigma small and capitate
Fruit: Capsule, small, loculicidal, containing few seeds
Floral Formula: Br ⊕ ⚥ K3 C3 A6 G(3)
Systematic Position:
Division – Angiospermae
Class – Monocotyledonae
Order – Commelinales
Family – Commelinaceae
Genus – Tradescantia
Species – zebrina
Related article
- Comparison Between Hoya, Burro’s Tail, and Wandering Jew Hanging Plants
- Hanging plant- Inch Plant: Floral formula
- Hanging plant- Burro’s Tail: Floral formula
- Hanging plant-Hoya: Floral formula
- Hanging plant-hedera helix: Floral formula
- Hanging plant-Boston Fern: Floral formula
- Hollyhock (Alcea rosea): Plant overview and floral formula
- Helianthus annuus floral formula
- Chillies and Peppers at Home – Step-by-Step Guide
- Tomato at home – step to step Guide
- Chives at Home – Step-by-Step Guide
- Conophytum Succulents at Home: Step-to-Step guide
- Edamame (Young Soybeans)
- Lettuce at Home: Step-to-Step guide
- Brassica campestris at home step to stpe guide