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Tradescantia is a perennial plant that belongs to the Kommelin family. In total, this genus has about 30 varieties. In the wild, this flower is found in topics and in temperate latitudes on the American continent. The flower got its name in honor of the gardener John Tradescant, who served the British ruler Charles the First, who was the first to describe this genus.
Tradescantia is also called "Baba's gossip" or "Quarry". The height of this plant is small, the stems are creeping or straight. The alternating leaves have a different configuration, which depends on the variety.
This ampelous plant is very popular with gardeners. Regular pinching allows you to make the bush lush with numerous branches. Most often, the Tradescantia pot is placed on a high shelf or hanging planter. The stems should be allowed to hang freely.
Types of tradescantia.
There are several varieties of Tradescantia. This plant is ampelous and erect. Foliage is found both smooth and fleecy.
Albovittata, for example, has silvery foliage, Laekenensis has white and pink stripes, Aurea has light green leaves.
Tradescantia has the ability to purify indoor air, eliminate electromagnetic rays. Cut branches, if placed in water, can stand there for several months or even a year. To achieve this result, you need to apply fertilizers to the water on a regular basis.
It is better not to use a flower for self-treatment.
Tradescantia will delight with lush foliage if you take care of it correctly. In the spring and summer, caring for this plant involves regular watering. This should be done as the top soil layer dries up. In hot weather, it is recommended to spray the foliage from a spray bottle. In addition, the flower needs to create suitable lighting, maintain a certain temperature, and periodically trim.
Lighting. This flower requires diffused lighting. Variegated varieties need more light, but exposure to direct sunlight can cause burns.
It is recommended to place the Tradescantia pot on the windowsill of a window facing east or west. A window opening located in the north will also do. But shade the south window in hot hours so that the flower does not suffer.
Variegated varieties are the most demanding for light. The white-flowered tradescantia is considered the most shade-loving. In warmer months, the flower can be taken out into the garden or placed on the balcony. Place it where there are no drafts and bright sun.
Temperature. In spring and summer, the recommended temperature is around 25 degrees. In winter - no more than 12 degrees.
Watering. During the entire growing season, Tradescantia must be poured abundantly. This should be done as the top layer of the earth dries up.
In winter, watering is performed only when the soil is 100% dry. If the plant hibernates in a warm room, moisturize it as the clod dries up by ¼.
Make sure that there is no stagnation of liquid at the roots - this is fraught with acidification of the earth, pour excess from the pan.
Humidity. Tradescantia feels great in low humidity conditions, this is what prevails in living quarters.
Moisturizing the flower is not a mandatory procedure, but in the heat it does not hurt to do it. The plant will be grateful for the spraying.
Top dressing. Fertilizers are applied in spring and summer on a regular basis every two weeks. It is advisable to apply organic and mineral fertilizing in turn. Organics are not suitable for variegated varieties.
After the onset of autumn, the need for fertilization disappears. This procedure is resumed only in the spring.
Bloom. During the flowering period, flowers appear on the plant, which are blue or blue with a purple tint. The inflorescences are curls.
Pruning. Pruning is done in the spring.
When Tradescantia is grown at home, it is aging at a rapid pace. As a result, the plant loses its original attractiveness. Regular pinching of the stems will help preserve the beauty of the vine for a long time. Perform light pruning annually. Do not forget to transplant the flower into fresh soil in a timely manner.
Transfer. The transplant is carried out simultaneously with pruning. If we are talking about young bushes, this procedure is performed annually, adult plants are transplanted every 2-3 years.
Make sure you have a good drainage system before planting it in a new pot.
After completing the transplant, be sure to wash your hands to avoid skin irritation.
Priming. In a specialized store, you can buy a ready-made substrate for the plant. Or make it yourself: mix turf, deciduous soil and humus. Add sand to this mixture. Recommended proportions are 2: 4: 2: 1.
Reproduction. The flower is propagated by three methods:
1. Separation of roots;
2. By cuttings;
3. Seeds.
Tradescantia seeds are sown in the first half of spring. To do this, you need to make a miniature greenhouse with an air temperature of around 20 degrees. Air the improvised greenhouse complex, irrigate the ground with a spray bottle. If the plants are properly cared for, the first flowers can be expected in three years.
Vine propagation by cuttings can be performed at any time of the year. To do this, cut off the stem and divide it into pieces from 10 to 15 cm long. 5-8 cuttings are planted in one pot, filling it with a substrate of compost, humus and sand in equal amounts.
The ideal temperature for rooting is + 15- + 20 degrees. The process takes a few days. After 1.5-2 months, the sprouts turn into bushes.
Liana can also be transplanted by dividing the roots.
Diseases and pests. Improper care, lack of comfortable conditions for growth is fraught with exposure of shoots, the appearance of rot. The leaves of Tradescantia become faded, become stained, or their tips dry out.
Of the pests, thrips with scale insects and spider mites pose a threat to this plant.
Interesting Facts. In 1960, a British pensioner placed tradescantia shoots in a glass container, after which he corked the bottle. The capacity was not opened for more than half a century, as a result, a closed-type ecosystem was formed there. The plant synthesizes oxygen, carbon dioxide and humus. It receives only light from the outside world.
This plant is often used to decorate aquariums. Place it so that the stems are freely submerged in the water and form a beautiful emerald rug.
Acting as a surface aquatic plant, the vine protects the water from the penetration of bacteria. Some fish like tradescantia leaves.
Tradescantia decorates windows not only in residential buildings, this plant can often be found in schools, medical institutions, kindergartens.
