Tradescantia zebrina, formerly known as Zebrina pendula, is a species of spiderwort. It is sometimes known as inch plant, but its preferred common name is wandering jew, a common name it shares with closely related species T. fluminensis and T. pallida, though more recently zebrina has been dubbed wandering dude.
Inchplants are hardy, fast-growing, and low-maintenance species. Their attractive colorful foliage will trail, spread or climb, making them especially striking in hanging planters — or in any corner of your space that could use a burst of color.
That said, some varieties of the Spiderwort family are toxic to pets, so keep them away from furry family members. Here’s how to care for these beauties in your own home.
Wandering Jew plants can do well even with a bit of neglect, so you can let the soil just dry out between waterings. Cut back on watering during the winter months, when growth slows. To fertilize, feed your wandering Jew with a water-soluble fertilizer, diluted to half-strength, every two weeks during the spring and summer, if needed.
After the first year of growth, your spiderwort plant may lose some foliage near the base of the stems. Rather than cutting back the plant to make it look fuller, simply take cuttings from healthy branches when it’s looking leggy, and root them in the same container with the mother plant. Periodically remove dried-out or discolored leaves.
Best Growing Conditions for Wandering Jew Plants
While spiderwort plants are highly adaptable, they thrive best in medium to bright indirect light. If you notice the markings on the leaves fading, move it to a brighter spot; just make sure it’s out of direct sunlight. Plants in brighter conditions are more likely to flower.
Plant your wandering Jew in a well-drained, all-purpose potting soil. It’ll grow best in a warm, temperate space with temperatures between 55 degrees and 70 degrees.
Spiderwort plants trail beautifully from hanging planters, window boxes, containers on high shelves, or window sills with western or eastern exposure. Thanks to their spreading growth habit, these plants work great in large containers too.
The Story Behind The Name
One of the joys of winter is the great winter sky. As your gaze travels across the night sky, you may spot a starry wanderer, better known as a comet. Some people, like Arabs and Jews, made their living by wandering in ancient times. In the Middle Ages, a popular myth told of a porter in Pilate’s service who mocked Christ for walking so slowly to his crucifixion. Christ told the insolent porter to wander the Earth and wait for the Second Coming. The Wandering Jew repented was baptized Catholic, and wanders the Earth.
For gardeners, the aptly named Wandering Jew spreads or wanders across a pot or in mild climates across the garden. The Wandering Jew plant is native to the Gulf Coast of eastern Mexico. The leaves are an attractive zebra-stripe pattern, with the upper surface showing purple new growth and green older growth.
This is an easy-to-grow houseplant that will flower in spring or early summer with a range of colors from purple and pink to white.
This is such an easy houseplant, it is ideal for beginners, the elderly, or anyone who wants the benefits of a living, carbon dioxide-inhaling, oxygen-exhaling, and breathing plant.
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