I used to work at a place where almost every desk had a plant sitting on it, standing near it or hanging over it. Except for mine. My desk was devoid of any plant life. This would have been surprising (being such a plant lover that I am) and maybe even a little sad (being a botanically-deprived plant lover) if it wasn’t for the fact that my cubicle was nowhere near natural light. As a result, anything growing on, near or over my light-deprived desk would have, slowly but surely, declined and eventually kicked the bucket. And since I’m experienced enough to know better, I would have been botanically-irresponsible if I’d gone ahead and deliberately grown a live plant in such ‘dark’ conditions, which, if you ask me, is worse than being botanically-deprived.

Perhaps an Aspidistra would have managed under the fluorescent lights. Or maybe some type of Aglaonema, Dracaena or Sansevieria would have hung on for an impressively long time. Maybe. Even so, the most resilient plant’s health will inevitably be compromised by chronic light deprivation and, as a result, it will become quite unattractive - or dead (that’s pretty unattractive). And this is what would have happened to anything I would have chosen to grow at the time, which is horrifying because my co-workers would have assumed that my plant-growing skills were as pathetic as my shabby-looking plants. That would have been a pretty big blow to my botanical ego.

(What’s that about the plants? Feel sorry for them? Huh? Oh. Oh yeah, sure. Of course I would have felt bad for the distressed plants. What kind of insensitive person do you think I am? But, you know, the botanical ego is kind of, sort of important too...)

Okay, so I was botanically-responsible in my working space. It’s not like I had much of a choice in such a dark spot. And just for the record, I wasn’t placed there by some sadistic, plant-hating person that wanted to torture me by depriving me of a simple pleasure that is important to my sanity. No, I’d been placed there because it was one of the last two spots available in the company, neither of which offered any natural light. And now that I look back, I believe the other spot was even darker; I guess this renders me luckier than the person hired after me who got stuck with that.

Anyhow.

Unlike me, most of the others (aside from the unluckier woman in the darker spot who doesn’t count anyway because she has no interest in plants) worked in front of, next to or very close to windows, all of which faced south, southeast or southwest (we’re talking mega light here). I was ‘green’ with envy at my coworkers who were fortunate enough to spend their day in these brightly-lit, plant-haven spaces. And red-faced with frustration at the ones that did not take advantage of these blessed locations. I mean, what kind of person does not grow any plants in areas flooded by natural light?

But not all of my coworkers were this – er - foolish; some knew how lucky they were. One woman grew a number of plants in her enviably bright spot. Her plant haven included a Chlorophytum comosum or two, some small cacti, a few succulents, a Pothos and a Schlumbergera. Another lady that I dubbed the “African Violet Guru” grew scores of African violets on her southern windowsill in direct sun - year round! And still another took care of an impressively-tall (about 4 feet), remarkably healthy Croton growing in front of her desk that she inherited when she got hired (possibly left behind from a previous employee). Although she grudgingly cared for it, the plant thrived under her care, which demonstrated that she had green thumb potential – and perhaps a suppressed love for plants. Finally, there was the woman that grew a few pots of the very familiar, easy-to-grow Tradescantia Zebrina, the plant that I will write about today.


Caring For A Tradescantia Zebrina

Formerly known as Zebrina pendula, this trailing plant is usually referred to as ‘wandering Jew’. Although much less common, other names include inch plant (or inchplant), purple wandering Jew, silver inch plant and wandering zebrina. Native to Mexico, this is a popular houseplant that is grown for its attractive foliage. The top of the fleshy leaves is green (older growth) and purple (new growth) with two creamy silver stripes; the lower leaf surface is a deep purple. (Some sources suggest that the undersides are a magenta shade but I just don’t see it; it looks purple to me with perhaps a tiny hint of red.)

The attractive foliage is not its only appeal; T. zebrina is a long-time favourite because it’s quite easy to grow. This is a great plant for a beginner to start with, and a terrific choice as a gift. It grows quickly, propagates easily (roots form practically overnight (yes, I’m exaggerating) in water) and looks spectacular when properly cared for.

Perhaps one of the most important requirements to keeping a T. zebrina happy is sufficient light. It is not a rumour that this lovely plant will tolerate low light, but it is a rumour that it will thrive in such a location. This Tradescantia prefers – and needs – some direct sun, but will grow happily in a spot that offers at least filtered sunshine. In dim areas, the leaves will grow smaller and the plant will get leggy. Also, sufficient light is needed for the plant to retain its purple color; in too much shade the leaves will revert to a green shade.

A standard all-purpose houseplant soil is fine; keep it moist at all times. Do not make it a habit of under-watering, which will cause the leaves to dry to a crisp. You can over-water this plant, but only if you grow it in a compact, slow-draining medium in a dark area. T. zebrina grows rapidly, and if it basks in the sun in a container that’s just the right size (not too big), it will be thirsty enough to dry out its soil quite fast.

In addition to being beautiful and easy to grow, T. zebrina is also wonderfully versatile when it comes to growing methods and their mediums. You can grow it in soil (as is stated above). You can grow it in Hydroculture, which only requires tip cuttings that have rooted in water to be transferred to clay pellets. And you can grow it directly in water - indefinitely. Cuttings rooted in water can be left there if you choose to grow this plant that way. Just make sure to change the water regularly to keep it fresh. <

T. zebrina grows rapidly when it is watered properly, when it is provided with enough light and when it is fed regularly. If grown in soil or hydroculture, feed your Tradescantia once every 2 – 4 weeks during the spring and summer seasons. If you are growing directly in water, fertilize very lightly (dilute to 1/10th the recommended strength) and very infrequently (once a month, or once every six weeks, is enough).

Cool to average home temperatures, 13ºC (55°F) - 24°C (75°F), will keep your plant happy. T. zebrina can tolerate (and survive) much lower levels (close to the freezing point), although I wouldn’t recommend long-term exposure to very cold temperatures. Dry air is handled well, but higher humidity is much more beneficial.

Give your plant a shower every now and then to remove dust from leaves and to keep pests at bay. Pinch regularly to keep it bushy and attractive. If your Tradescantia becomes leggy, prune back hard to promote new, compact growth. There’s no need to discard the cuttings; use them to start new plants.



For those of you who may have wondered whether I took some cuttings of my ex-coworker’s Tradescantia zebrina, the answer is yes, of course I did. How can any self-respecting houseplant lover pass up free cuttings? Certainly not this one.

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