Tradescantia
The tradescantia is a very easy to care plant, which makes it very popular, but it can also make you ill and require special care if it is not taken care of properly. This plant is perfect to decorate any room, because of its hanging floor aspect. Where it is best preserved is in a clay pot, and needs a well drained soil rich in humus.
With all this, the tradescantia is a perennial herbaceous plant, with gnarled and thin stems. It shows a foliage of a colorful green-violet, lacking petiole, and of multiple forms according to the species, among the near hundred existing ones.
Among the multiple species there are varieties, crawling, hanging and even climbing. For example the tradescantia zebrina is a creeping specimen, but it can be treated as a climber, since it will grow vertically if it is provided with the necessary handles.
The delicate flowers of the tradescantia have a curious butterfly shape and cover a chromatic range that goes from white to blue or purple. These specimens, belonging to the species of the Commelináceas, are native to the north and the center of America.
They require a light substrate and that must be conveniently fertilized to facilitate their growth. The best formula for these specimens is to pay biweekly with a product composed of seaweed extracts in the months that cover the spring and summer. It can be quite adequate to cut the stems that are too long, to keep the leafy base instead of having excessively tall specimens.
Throughout the summer, tradescantia requires plenty of water and it is important to keep the root ball always moist to prevent high temperatures from drying the aerial part. On the contrary, throughout the winter, it will be advisable to reduce the quantity of irrigation considerably, trying to keep the soil cool, but without getting to flood it.
Regarding their lighting needs, they are examples that can be developed without problems both in bright places and in the shade, so they can be planted in the place of the garden that best suits.
I am Don Burke, one of the authors at My Garden Guide. I am a horticulturist that cultivates, grows, and cares for plants, ranging from shrubs and fruits to flowers. I do it in my own garden and in my nursery. I show you how to take care of your garden and how to perform garden landscaping in an easy way, step by step.I am originally from Sydney and I wrote in local magazines. Later on, I have decided, more than two decades ago, to create my own blog. My area of specialization is related to orchid care, succulent care, and the study of the substrate and the soil. Therefore, you will see many articles dedicated to these disciplines. I also provide advice about how to improve the landscape design of your garden.
