✅ What does a Tradescantia cutting look like? Tradescantia care at home Reproduction by cuttings Planting and cultivation

Tradescantia belongs to the Commelinaceae . Widely distributed in nature in America.

The plant received its name in honor of the gardener John Tradescant, who served Charles I and was the first to describe this genus.

The plant belongs to the ampelous species and has creeping or straight stems. Tradescantia is very popular among flower growers due to its unpretentiousness and ease of forming and obtaining an attractive bush.

Tradescantia is also known for its beneficial properties, its ability to purify the air and neutralize electromagnetic radiation.

Description

First, let's introduce you to this plant. The main decorative effect is provided by multiple branches with amazing leaves, painted in a variety of colors - from green (with its various shades) to blueberry, and some varieties have leaves with original stripes. A cascade of well-groomed plants with lush foliage resembles a magical waterfall. Tradescantia blooms with inconspicuous flowers, which with their appearance do not particularly inspire contemplators, so many design experts recommend cutting off the buds.

Modern breeders are constantly working to create new picturesque varieties of Tradescantia, the demand for which continues to increase, thanks to the simple care of plants and simple breeding methods.

Reproduction methods

The best time to propagate Tradescantia is spring. You can do this at other times of the year; it is not recommended only in winter. Do not forget to always take into account one subtlety: these plants have very fragile, brittle stems, be extremely careful when working with them. Tradescantia can be propagated by cuttings, rooting layering, dividing bushes and seeds.

Cuttings

The simplest and most popular way. For cuttings, choose strong mature shoots and cut cuttings up to 15 cm long. The cuts are made under the nodes so that each of the cuttings ends up with buds. The cuttings are dipped in water to form roots.

After about 10 days, small roots (about 5 cm) grow. Rooted cuttings should be planted in pots, maybe several in each. To enhance the branching of the bush, shortening the stems is practiced. The correct composition of the soil mixture is the key to good development of cuttings. It should include compost soil, humus and river sand.

Some gardeners plant cuttings directly into pots with substrate, without rooting in water. At a temperature of approximately +20 degrees and diffused lighting, the roots will successfully grow in the substrate, and shoots with numerous branches and beautiful foliage will form from the buds on the cuttings. With full compliance with agricultural technology, in 1–1.5 months a completely decorative bush will grow.

Rooting cuttings

On the hanging branches of Tradescantia there are always barely noticeable rudiments of roots. If the shoot “reaches” the soil, it immediately clings to the ground, which is successfully used during propagation. A pot with a moist substrate is placed next to the main plant, one of the lower shoots is bent to it and secured to the ground with a pin. The roots almost immediately begin to grow into the soil, and a new bush is formed.

The finished rooted bush is cut off from the mother plant and grown separately.

Dividing the bush

This procedure is carried out in the spring. The plant is dug out of the pot, the roots are cleared of soil and cut into pieces with a sharp garden knife. The cut areas are sprinkled with wood ash (or activated carbon) and placed in prepared containers with substrate.

Seeds

This is the most time-consuming method. If Tradescantia is propagated by seeds, then from the moment of sowing the seeds to an adult bush it will take 2-3 years. Before planting, the seeds are soaked in a solution of a growth stimulator for several hours, then they are sown at a shallow depth in a container with a moistened soil mixture. The crops are covered with transparent material and placed in a room with a temperature within 20 degrees above zero.

While waiting for the seedlings to appear, they carefully monitor the conditions (temperature, humidity) and systematically ventilate the improvised “greenhouse”. With the emergence of seedlings, the shelter is removed. When the seedlings have 3-4 leaves, they can be transplanted into separate bowls or flowerpots.

How to root cuttings?

Different plants root in different ways; many houseplants root easily in water, while many woody plants root easily in soil.

Rooting cuttings in water

Take cuttings from the mother plant 10-16 cm.

Using a sharp knife or pruning shears, cut just below the point where the leaf attaches to the stem, called a node. Roots grow easiest from this location.

If you leave part of the stem under a node, it may rot.

Remove the lower leaves, but leave the top ones, no more than three.

The part of the cutting that will be below the surface of the water should not have leaves.

It is also necessary to remove all flowers and buds if present, otherwise the flowers will try to grow into a seed or may use up the nutrients that the cutting needs.

Several cuttings can be placed together in one container.

Be sure to add fresh water as needed until the cuttings are fully rooted.

Rooting usually occurs in 3-4 weeks, but some plants take longer.

When the roots reach 2.5-5 cm in length or more, the cuttings are ready to be transplanted into a pot of soil.

The pot must be the right size for this root system.

They need to be replanted in moist soil.

If the cuttings have grown too tall during this time, it is better to trim them so that the plant is more compact and dense.

How to root root cuttings

Plant thick pieces of root vertically, cut end up, in a pot of soil.

Place the potted cuttings in a plastic bag and cover the soil with plastic wrap.

Avoid placing cuttings in direct sunlight where heat will build up under the plastic.

Check from time to time to ensure the soil remains moist.

It takes several weeks for shoots to appear.

When they finally appear, remove the plastic.

Once the shoot has a small mass of roots, transplant it into a pot filled with good quality soil.

Place the plant in full sunlight and keep the soil moist at all times.

Features of care

Despite its remarkable ability to “not bother” its owners, Tradescantia still needs minimal attention and simple care. Monitor the condition of the top layer of soil, water generously in hot weather, drain excess water from trays, and provide moderate watering in winter.

Do not overdo it with fertilizing - tradescantia is inhibited by an excessive amount of nutrients in the soil, which negatively affects its decorative effect. Apply complex fertilizers at half the rate specified in the recommendations. To maintain the density of the leaves and the beautiful shape of the bushes, young plants are pinched.

If the rules of care are not followed, the plants may become sick. A lack of light will lead to “baldness” of the stems, they will begin to stretch, and the leaves will become small and sparse. If the air is too dry, the tips of the leaves dry out.

Insufficient watering will be indicated by limp stems and leaves, and excess watering will be indicated by their brown tint. If you notice deviations in the appearance of your favorite plant, correct the situation - monitor the care parameters.

Growing problems:

Yellow spots on the leaves appear when there is a lack of moisture in the soil;
Sluggish shoots - insufficient watering;
The variegated variety loses color if the plant does not have enough light intensity;
Lack of growth, shoots stretch, leaves thin out due to lack of water, fertilizers, light;
The tips of the leaves turn brown if the indoor humidity is too low;
The leaves dry out and fall off at the base of the stem - the plant should be rejuvenated.

Beneficial features

Since ancient times, Tradescantia has attracted flower growers not only for its subtle original beauty, but also for its medicinal properties:

gardeners know it as a hemostatic and healing agent for skin damage;
if you apply a fresh leaf to the sore spot and make a bandage, the wound will stop bleeding, swelling and bruising will decrease, and minor cuts and scratches will heal quickly;
It is useful to periodically chew a Tradescantia leaf to prevent gum problems;
alcohol infusions are used for lotions in the treatment of injuries and for rubbing sore spots;
Tradescantia decoctions relieve the symptoms of colds, sore throat and acute respiratory viral infections (gargling).

But we should not forget that self-medication is extremely dangerous - preliminary consultation with a specialist is always necessary.

Tradescantia care at home Reproduction by cuttings Planting and cultivation

Tradescantia is familiar to almost everyone: until recently it was the decoration of any room. And schools, kindergartens, hospitals were simply crammed with these plants - few institutions did not have pots with hanging colorful shoots on the shelves.

Nowadays, new, picturesque varieties and species have appeared that are in demand among modern flower growers due to their unpretentiousness and ease of breeding. Amateur flower growers call it "woman's gossip" because of the long branches that are tangled so much that it is difficult to make out where this or that shoot originates.

Description of Tradescantia

Tradescantia flower propagation, planting and care at home photo

The genus Tradescantia consists of approximately 60 species of perennial herbaceous plants, native to the humid tropics and subtropical forests. Some of them grow in dry areas. The main decoration is considered to be amazing leaves growing on long stems with multiple branches. Their color ranges from light green to blueberry and depends on lighting and temperature. Some varieties have original stripes on the leaves. In our climate, they are grown both indoors and in flower beds.

Due to the nature of the branches to lodging, it is used as a hanging crop. At first, the young stems grow straight up, but soon droop, unable to withstand their own weight. Therefore, they look more respectable in wall planters and on the top shelves of furniture. Under natural conditions, Commelinaceae grow on the ground, with the help of spreading, rooting branches, taking over uninhabited places.

Commelinaceae are known for their trailing stems with alternate leaves that completely hug the trunk at the junctions. To get out, side shoots often have to tear the covering leaf. The veins on the leaves diverge in parallel lines. But the main distinguishing features are associated with the flower. Three petals of white, pink, lilac or violet are enclosed in greenish, free sepals and live for only a couple of days.

Flowering is unattractive, so it is recommended to cut off the buds. They are also characterized by continuous growth, which depends on nutrition, watering and temperature. There is no internal rhythm in Tradescantia.

On the hanging branches there are barely noticeable rudiments of roots, which, upon contact with a moist soil substrate, immediately increase in size and cling to the soil, which is successfully used for breeding.

Rooting cuttings

During the preparation of green cuttings, the leaves are not completely torn off; only the lower part is freed from them, which will end up in the soil when planted. The remaining leaves will serve as a marker of survival. With their help, you will be able to find out how you managed to root forsythia using cuttings: if they darken and dry out, it means that the roots have not appeared.

To plant cuttings, you need light soil with good air permeability. In addition, it should not be sour. River sand or perlite is added to the fertile soil. Choose a place that is slightly shaded, without direct sunlight.

You can root forsythia using cuttings both in open ground and at home. In both cases, it doesn’t hurt to place the cuttings in a solution of a rooting stimulator for several hours.

Cuttings in a seedling box

Planting is carried out subject to certain conditions:

the distance between cuttings is maintained at 5-7 cm;
planted at a slight angle;
deepen to the second or third bud.

Cuttings will need a mini-greenhouse for rooting; you can cover it with a jar. From time to time the plants are ventilated. The soil in the greenhouse should always be moist to the depth of planting the seedling. Roots usually appear within a month. In the year of rooting, the shoots are not moved to another place. If necessary, they are moved, making sure to preserve the lump of earth.

For the winter, the root system of seedlings is insulated with dry leaves and spruce branches. Plants in seedling boxes are taken to a cool room. Strong seedlings with a good root system can be planted in open ground if they have been pre-hardened.

Caring for Tradescantia at home

Tradescantia indoor care and reproduction

The correct conditions for keeping tradescantia will ensure its full development, abundant flowering, and the formation of green mass. The beauty will delight her owner, giving a positive charge of energy and a great mood. I am glad that there are almost no care requirements and it is very easy to comply with them.

If a plant lives in one pot for a long time - the roots can no longer cope with the task of providing nutrition to the green mass - the leaves begin to partially dry out and the lower part of the stem is exposed, which subsequently dries out: the crown parts hang from the pot on elongated, almost bare, shoots. In this case, cuttings are urgently required to obtain young bushes.

Basically, all Tradescantia love rooms with high humidity and abundant watering . They can leave a small amount of water in the pan for a short time. Water abundantly without waiting for the earthen ball to dry out, reducing the volume of water only when the room temperature drops. Only some desert species require the soil to dry out between waterings.

The more Tradescantia is fertilized, the faster they grow . Fertilizing is carried out in the active growth phase. Fertilizers can be anything - organic or mineral.

Typically, Tradescantias are not replanted, with the exception of particularly valuable specimens, which are transferred to a large container with the addition of fresh soil. Ordinary plants are simply renewed using cuttings, because over time the lower parts of the stem become bare and the flowers take on an ugly appearance.

Growing Tradescantia from cuttings

Growing Tradescantia from cuttings photo

Even the most inexperienced flower lover can propagate Tradescantia.

Cuttings 10 cm long are taken from adult specimens.
Remove the leaves on the lower internodes.
Several pieces are planted in a pot at once and watered abundantly.
To speed up the process, you can cover the pot with cuttings with a jar. When new buds appear, the jar is removed.
Cuttings can be rooted in water and then planted in the ground.

Tradescantia cuttings take root within a few days

Tradescantia can be rooted even with a very small piece of stem with a couple of leaves. Its lower part is buried in the soil mixture - roots and shoots simultaneously grow from the internode. If you cover the cutting with a transparent jar, the plant will produce new shoots faster.

Tradescantia cuttings take root well in water and after a week they can be planted in the ground

One of the British flower growers placed the sprout in a glass bottle and closed it with a stopper. He watered the plant only once. And this flower has been growing in a vessel without soil for more than 50 years, forming a closed ecosystem. Amazing, right?

For garden forms, bush division and seed propagation are important. Some species self-sow. When replanting, the roots are trimmed a little and the bush is divided into parts. The plant quickly recovers and blooms.

When and how to propagate hosta by dividing the bush

By dividing the bush, only an adult, healthy plant is propagated. The larger the bush, the more divisions you will get. To do this, dig up the entire bush. One plot should have several rosettes with leaves. They are planted at the same depth at which the parent plant grew. The distance between plantings should be maintained at about 30 cm. To ensure good survival, planted plants are watered abundantly and the soil around is mulched with sawdust or dry grass.

When to divide hosta? The best time to divide a bush:

beginning of May;
any month of summer;
beginning of September.

Important! When dividing in the fall, minimal damage is caused to the plant, since the root system is at a dormant stage. The bush can be replanted when it is fully mature

A clear sign of the required seating is when the center of the crown begins to shrink

The bush can be replanted when it is fully mature. A clear sign of the required seating is when the center of the crown begins to shrink.

The bush can take up to five years to form. A young plant does not show its varietal characteristics; they appear as it grows. Therefore, frequent transplants are undesirable, since you may not be able to wait for the varietal characteristics of the hosta. You can divide the bush for the first time after 4-5 years.

How to split a hosta

Select the appropriate one from the gardening tools. It is better to work with a large bush with a shovel, with a small one - with a knife with teeth; with a large root, use a hacksaw (the cut is treated with ash or crushed coal in order to prevent rotting processes).

Before removing the plant from the ground, a circle with a diameter of 10 cm is cut around it if the bush is small, and 30-35 cm if the bush is large. Then they use a shovel to pry it under the root and carefully remove the plant with a lump of earth.

You need to divide the hosta carefully so as to damage the root system as little as possible. Small roots are carefully separated by hand, large seedlings are divided with a serrated knife.

Important! It is not the root that needs to be cut, but the base. Slow-growing varieties are best divided into large parts, while fast-growing varieties will grow even from one outlet

It is undesirable to divide the entire bush into more than four parts.

Slow-growing varieties are best divided into large parts, while fast-growing varieties will grow even from one outlet. It is undesirable to divide the entire bush into more than four parts.

Roots

Important! To see the entire root system, it can be washed with water before dividing. The plots are inspected for damage and diseases, and suspicious areas are removed.

The plots are inspected for damage and diseases, and suspicious areas are removed.

The soil is prepared either in the fall or a month before planting: it is dug up and fertilizers are added. Mineral fertilizers are added to poor soil.

The cuttings are planted at the same depth at which the parent plant grew. A little wood ash is poured into the bottom of the hole. The distance between plantings should be maintained at about 30 cm. To ensure good survival, planted plants are watered abundantly and the soil around is mulched with sawdust or dry grass.

At first, you can use mullein infusion as a top dressing. Be sure to periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds.

Note! Delenki cannot be planted in the old place, as the seedlings will take a long time to take root and will most likely die. You can get cuttings without digging up the entire bush

To do this, choose one or more strong sockets

They are dug up from the outside and carefully separated from the mother bush. The resulting void is filled with fertilizer, the plant is watered abundantly

The resulting division is first planted on a prepared bed for growing, and then transplanted to a permanent place

You can get cuttings without digging up the entire bush. To do this, choose one or more strong sockets

They are dug up from the outside and carefully separated from the mother bush. The resulting void is filled with fertilizer, the plant is watered abundantly

The resulting division is first planted on a prepared bed for growing, and then transplanted to a permanent place.

Division

Planting tradescantia

Tradescantia care and planting photo

Planting Tradescantia is simple - you need to prepare nutritious soil. A nutrient mixture for orchids is best suited: the substrate is quite loose, has good drainage properties, and contains all the substances necessary for the plant.

To plant tradescantia:

Filling the pot with substrate
We make a hole for the cutting with the root system and place it there, sprinkle it with earth.
If the cutting is without a root, simply press it into the ground to a depth of 3-4 cm.
We water it.

Tradescantia planting is over! All that remains is to water it on time and enjoy the rapid growth of the flower.

Tradescantia pests and diseases

Tradescantia is resistant to pest attacks and is little susceptible to disease. Nevertheless, the necessary measures should be taken if negative changes are noticed. The red mite sometimes settles on the back side of young leaves. To avoid the appearance of pests, you can periodically water the soil in pots with a solution of tar soap.

If a large number of insects are detected, the plant along with the pot is placed in a plastic bag and the flower itself, the flower pot and the soil are thoroughly treated with an insecticide. The bag should be tied in a knot and the plant should be left in it for 5 days. After this, the processing is repeated. Three-time treatment completely eliminates pests. The area where the pot was located should also be wiped with a napkin moistened with an insecticide solution to avoid re-infection.

Most varieties are tolerant to conditions - they tolerate a lack of light, nutrients, watering, air humidity, and attention from the owner, although their appearance suffers.

Help the flower

Sometimes a flower needs help so that it does not lose its beautiful foliage.

Why do the leaves turn yellow?

It is necessary to adjust the watering of the plant by increasing the watering dose. Also, you need to care more carefully, and the leaves will stop turning yellow.

The roots are rotting

Why does it start to rot? This indicates overwatering . In this case, Tradescantia is cut into cuttings and grown again using cuttings.

This colorful and beautiful plant is very easy to cultivate at home or in the garden. Using a variety of varieties, you can create magnificent miniature flower beds in hanging pots.

Tradescantia: reproduction

A new bush can be obtained in several ways:

One of the most difficult and painstaking is growing tradescantia from seeds. They are sown in a mixture of sand and peat. Cover the top with glass or cover it with film and moisten it with a spray bottle. With the appearance of the first shoots, the seedlings should be hardened off by periodically opening the greenhouse. After the young shoots get stronger and send out their first full-fledged leaves, the seedlings can be planted in individual pots. In the first months of care, young Tradescantia should be warm and have sufficient humidity.
Cuttings are convenient because shoots can be cut at any time of the year. It is permissible to divide them into several parts, the main condition is that there must be at least two full-fledged nodes on the cutting. The cut branches are placed in water, and within two days the first roots should appear on them. Rooting should be done in a loose mixture of peat and sand. The pot should be small with a good drainage layer, since Tradescantia roots do not like moisture retention.

When replanting a plant, you can take the opportunity to propagate it by shoots. During active growth, Tradescantia sends out shoots from the root, which are then easily separated from the main bush. You need to root immediately into prepared soil for Tradescantia. After transplanting, you need to put the pot in a warm place, do not forget to spray it daily. After 10 days you can feed with mineral fertilizers.
How to propagate Tradescantia without cutting off shoots? Rooting. This herbaceous beauty can easily reproduce while it is growing. It is enough for the shoots to touch the ground, and after a while roots appear from the nodes. The shoot from the parent plant is split off, and the cut is treated with charcoal. It is advisable to do the transplant with a lump of earth or immediately place a separate pot and place the shoot there for rooting.

The most common type of propagation is growing Tradescantia from cuttings

Step by step instructions

Most often, at home, phalaenopsis reproduces vegetatively. The plant has only one growth point, but you can slightly “tweak” the nature.

Planting “babies” is the most common method of propagating phalaenopsis. The “offspring” is separated from the mother plant 1.5–2 months after flowering. The procedure most often occurs in the spring. Growth buds are formed in the leaf axils or on the peduncles of orchids over two years old that have at least 4 healthy leaves. Sometimes they form on faded peduncles no older than one and a half years.

Phalaenopsis often forms “babies” at home without additional stimulation

The appearance of “babies” can be stimulated in several ways:

The difference between daytime (28–30ºС) and night (18–20ºС) temperature. In this case, high air humidity (70% or more) and daylight hours of at least 12 hours must be ensured.
"Sunbathing" The orchid is left in direct sunlight for an hour a day in early spring. When a slight purple “tan” appears on the leaves, this is not a problem, but if it changes color to inky purple and there are still no “babies”, stop the procedure.
Artificial "drought". The plant is not watered for 12–14 days, protecting the orchid from direct sunlight. Moisturizing the substrate is resumed 2-3 days after the roots acquire a silver-gray tint. In this way, the flower is made to believe that its death has come, in the face of which its instinct to procreate is activated.
Use of fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. The method is quite risky. Orchids are not very fond of this macronutrient, so there is a real risk of destroying the mother specimen. Even if it gives birth to a “baby”, you definitely won’t have to wait for it to bloom this year.

Phalaenopsis “babies” are planted in a substrate based on pine bark, but with a finer fraction than for adult plants

There is no consensus among flower growers regarding when exactly it is necessary to separate the “baby” from the mother plant. Most people think that you need to wait for at least one root to appear. Others are of the opinion that this greatly depletes the “parent”, so they cut off the “offspring” when the first pair of leaves appears.

Separate the “baby” from the mother plant. Process the cuts. Dry overnight in the open air.
Fill transparent cups with a mixture of finely chopped sphagnum moss with pine bark and fern rhizomes (1:3:1). The more homogeneous the soil, the better. You need to make 3-4 drainage holes in the containers.
Moisten the substrate. Plant young orchids in the ground and place the containers in a home mini-greenhouse, florarium or homemade greenhouse. Provide a constant temperature of 23–25ºС and bright, diffused light.
As it dries, moisten the substrate with a solution of a root formation stimulator - Kornevin, Heteroauxin, Zircon, Epin (3-5 ml per liter of water). Ventilate the plantings daily for 5–7 minutes.
If the bottom pair of leaves turn yellow, this is normal. You cannot cut them - the developing roots receive nutrition from them. When the time comes, they will dry out and fall off on their own.
Wait until the roots are 4-5 cm long, then transplant the phalaenopsis into mature potting soil. The procedure is not quick and usually takes about a year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCk2ls5Tdt8

Alternative way:

Pour water into a glass, heated to a temperature slightly above room temperature. You can add a tablet of succinic acid to it.
In the morning, place the cut and dried “baby” so that the bottom is located at a distance of 1–2 mm from the water. You can, for example, take a piece of foam plastic, cut a hole of the appropriate diameter and place it on a glass.
After 6 hours, remove the “baby” from the water. The rest of the time, dry it in the open air.
Continue manipulation daily until roots appear. The water should be fresh every day. Then proceed as described above.

The “offspring” of phalaenopsis can be rooted above water; orchids that have lost their roots can be reanimated in much the same way.

Tradescantia small-leaved: home care

This is the most delicate and miniature of the entire variety of Tradescantia. The shoots and the underside of the green leaves are purple. The leaves are round, slightly pointed, no more than 0.6 cm in length. It grows quickly and densely, looks best in a hanging pot, elegantly hanging its shoots.

A variety of Tradescantia with small leaves

Despite its fragile appearance, small-leaved Tradescantia is a very tenacious and strong plant. It takes root quickly and has no special care requirements. Loves light, warmth and abundant moisture. It can easily grow entirely under artificial light; the lack of light is manifested by elongated shoots and sparse leaves on them.

Why do Tradescantia leaves dry out?

No matter how unpretentious this leafy beauty is, problems may still arise when growing it. Most often they relate to the appearance of the plant and are associated with improper care:

if the leaves begin to turn yellow from the edges to the center, and then dry out completely, this indicates that the leaf blade is burned by direct sunlight;
long elongated shoots and sparse small leaves indicate a lack of light in winter. If there is plenty of light, but the shoots are still sparse, it means that the soil has exhausted its microelements, so it’s time to fertilize. Depletion also occurs due to abundant growth in a small pot; there is simply no room for roots, which is why the shoots grow damaged and weak;
if a flower stops growing, stops sprouting new shoots, does not throw out buds for flowering, it seems that it has simply frozen in place, the reason is the temperature of the Tradescantia. This state is called stagnation - inaction. It occurs when temperature conditions appear that prevent the plant from continuing its natural development. In summer, this is when it is above 35°C, and in autumn - below 16°C;
The roots of the plant are very sensitive to excess and stagnation of moisture. The rhizomes quickly rot, giving external signals - the leaves and stems begin to turn black. Excess moisture can be caused by excessive, too frequent watering and poor functioning of the drainage layer. To confirm the “diagnosis”, you should remove the earthen lump and inspect the roots for the presence of rot. It is necessary to eliminate all damaged parts of the plant and replace the drainage layer.

Note! Tradescantia is fed from early spring to late summer. Every two weeks alternate complex mineral fertilizers and organic matter.

The concentration of bait used is 50% of that indicated on the package. In winter, feeding the plant will be a bad idea - it can ruin the root system.

Thus, there is nothing difficult in growing a flower. It grows quickly, reproduces easily, survives in any conditions, even in a bottle. Isn't it a gardener's dream?!

https://stroy-podskazka.ru/tradeskanciya/sposoby-razmnozheniya/https://chto-posadit.ru/tradeskantsiya-uhod-v-domashnih-usloviyah-razmnozhenie-cherenkami-posadka-i-vyrashhivanie/https:// pocvetam.ru/komnatnye-rasteniya/tradeskancia-razmnozenie.html

Selection of pot and soil for Tradescantia

The root system of the plant is thin and does not grow too densely. It doesn't need a big pot, let it be wider rather than deeper. The surface makes it possible to send out more shoots.

For your information! Choosing ceramics can play a cruel joke on the hypothermia of the flower if you keep it on the veranda or balcony in the summer.

The best pot for Tradescantia will still be plastic. Be sure to have drainage holes and a tray. Expanded clay is better suited for drainage.

In the ground, Tradescantia is not picky. It can grow in water, sand, moss and even in open ground during the season. The best mixture for it would be deciduous and humus with the addition of vermiculite or sand for looseness.

Application in landscape design

Garden Tradescantias are distinguished by their high aesthetic appeal during the period of active flowering, which makes it possible to use this popular perennial crop, represented by a large selection of varieties, for decorating flower beds and flower beds. Tradescantia are also excellent for cultivation as individual plants or in combination with perennials such as hosta, along the banks of artificial or natural reservoirs in the garden.

It is not recommended to plant plants that react poorly to too much soil moisture and increased air humidity next to outdoor Tradescantia.

In addition, it is important to remember that bushes of vigorous tradescantia that do not retain their shape well can create problems in an open ground flower garden, which is due to the high risk of lodging of the ornamental plant after heavy watering or prolonged rains, and in too dark areas the shoots may lose stability and stretch out

Growing Tradescantia in a bottle

The unpretentiousness of Tradescantia allows it to feel great in water. It is very easy to propagate it there - it is often used as algae for the bottom of aquariums. The shoots spread and grow remarkably in the miniature sea. It’s very easy to make unusual compositions using decorative bottles of different shapes and colors by growing Tradescantia in water.

The flower has adapted to conditions even without fresh oxygen and watering

David Latimer and his Tradescantia are an unusual story. An amateur gardener has created an entire ecosystem in a closed container. His experiments began with various attempts to plant different plants in a 40-liter bottle of soil. Tradescantia took root, and in the first years it received watering and oxygen from outside.

In the early 70s. David capped the bottle and has never opened it since. The plant has created all the conditions for a comfortable life. Sunlight allows active photosynthesis, during which the leaves produce oxygen. It is because of the latter that water flows down the walls of the vessel. In the center of the bottle, shoots that do not receive enough light rot, producing carbon dioxide and providing fertilizer for the mini-forest. It is a home for the plant, maintained by itself.

Tradescantia garden: planting and care in open ground

Garden tradescantia is very beautiful and does not at all resemble its indoor relative. The garden version is a perennial bush up to half a meter high with thick long leaves and many inflorescences at the ends of the shoots. The flowers are curly at the edges, bunches of white stamens stand out brightly on the dark lilac and violet petals. Some types of garden tradescantia are ground cover.

Important! Like indoor Tradescantia, garden Tradescantia can also boast a variety of colors of its latent leaves. Some varieties have yellow, glaucous and purple leaves.

The color of the inflorescences is in lilac and violet shades, and the flowering pleases all summer until the coldest weather

The garden beauty is unpretentious in care and quite hardy. Loves partial shade; too bright light does not allow this plant to fully bloom. How to pinch tradescantia so as not to harm its growth? This needs to be done twice a year. Shoots without peduncles are pinched before and after flowering. In the spring, pinching provokes active flowering, and in the fall it prepares the plant for wintering.

With the onset of cold weather, the plant is pruned. Shoots no longer than 10 cm should be left. To preserve the roots of the plant, the bush is mulched: sprinkled with peat, fallen leaves or moss.

Important! If the plant is young and this is its first winter, it is better to cover the roots with film and mulch with a thick layer.

It is better to transplant Tradescantia to another place at the age of 3-4 years, otherwise the roots that are not completely strong may not take root in the new place. Tradescantia is picky about the soil: if it is poor, the top layer should be removed and covered with the prepared mixture. You can take purchased soil for flowering plants, or you can make it yourself - mix the soil with peat, humus and vermicompost. The main thing is that the soil for the Tradescantia bush is nutritious and loose.

Why is this plant so attractive to flower lovers?

Tradescantia was brought from Latin America, although it can be seen in the wild on other continents. Flexible stems cover the ground with a lush, continuous carpet.

Indoor plant species are good because they grow for many years and do not require special care, easily surviving not only dark apartments, cold winters on wooden window sills (oh, those drafts, no matter how much adhesive tape you put on the cracks), but also family vacations and prolonged lack of watering.

And maybe their flowers are not the most exquisite, but they appear at different times of the year. In addition, most species boast noticeable decorative leaves, as well as long weaving branches

Be careful: if they feel nearby pots with flowerpots, they can quickly grow into their soil

Tradescantia blooms like this, the shade of the petals differs depending on the type:

The plant also has a lot of useful properties, and if the cat chews the flower a little, it’s not a big deal!

Types and varieties of indoor Tradescantia

Scientists know more than 70 species of plants. Of course, only a little more than a dozen are grown in apartments. But each species has several varieties, which make these same species more diverse and interesting.

White-flowered Tradescantia. Most often, plant varieties have striped, white-green leaves (bet you grew up like this at school?). True, the stripes can be green on yellow (Aureya variety), or pink and white on green (Tricolor). There are also white-flowered varieties with simple green leaves. In any case, they are smooth, without any “fluff” on the surface.

Prirechnaya. Quite a contrasting appearance: the young leaves of the plants are green, the stems are reddish, the underside of the leaves is purple, and the flowers are snow-white with yellow stamens.

Bedspread (reo, Boat of Moses). It has relatively long, decoratively colored leaves sticking up. They are pink below, green above with white stripes and a pinkish undertone. The flowers are white, but you may not even guess about their existence - the plant hides them, covering them from above (hence the name).

Zebrina. One of the most popular plants, equally successful growing in pots and hanging baskets. Of course: green or purple (and this is on one bush) leaves are dotted with silver stripes, and it’s very beautiful. The underside of the leaves is purple and the flowers are purple.

Purple Tradescantia. The queen of unpretentious flowerpots, my favorite. The leaves and fleshy stems are purple, but if there is too little sun, they turn green. The leaves are pubescent underneath.

Small-leaved. A good option for a flowerpot. The leaves are small, smooth, round, green on the front side and purple on the back. The stems of the plant are very dense and often growing, and are brown in color.