TRADESCANCY

Tradescantia

Tradescantia x andersoniana

(syn. Tradescantia virginiana)

Family: Commelinaceae - Commelinaceae

·          Origin: North America

·          Structure: Perennial herbaceous plant. It forms a rhizome in the soil, and above it - a tuft of upright, fragile stems up to 60 cm high.

·          Leaves : Linear, pointed and bright green, up to 40 cm long. They are covered with soft hairs. The first ones come straight out of the soil, and the next ones cover the stem. Along their length there is a margin that bends them in two.

·          Flowers: Up to 2-3 cm in diameter, collected in a terminal inflorescence. Each flower has 3 petals and many stamens. They open in the morning and close in the evening. Flowering occurs from May to June, with the flowers opening sequentially.

·          Location: Partial shade, cool and humid, but can tolerate sun. Suitable for north-facing balconies.

·          Soil and planting: The soil mixture should be rich in nutrients and retain moisture. It consists of turf, well-rotted manure and sand in a ratio of 3:2:1. It is propagated by dividing the rhizomes in autumn or early spring. It is planted in large pots ( over No. 20) or in boxes.

·          Cultivation: Water abundantly during flowering. In winter, it can be left on the balcony and watered on warmer days to prevent the soil mixture from drying out.

·          Varieties: “ Blue Stone” has sky blue flowers, “Innocence” – with creamy white, “Purewell Giant” – with red, “Karminglut” – with dark red, “Pauline” – with purple, and the plants of the “Purple Dome” variety are compact, with deep purple flowers. In the “Isis” variety, the flowers are dark purple, and the height of the plants is only 46 cm. The “Osprey” variety is especially beautiful with white flowers and long dark blue stamens.