In the people, Tradescantia, like saxifrage, is called "women's gossip." It is a long-term low-growing herbaceous plant with creeping or straight shoots. The leaves are elliptical, ovoid, lanceolate, arranged alternately. Inflorescences are located in the axils of the leaves and on the tips of the shoots. Tradescantia is a plant common in florists, simple in care, unpretentious. To get a highly branched plant, it is enough to do simple prischipki shoots.
To place Tradescantia should be so that its long shoots freely hanging, and nothing hindered their growth. Often they are put in pots, hanging vases, on shelves.
In indoor conditions, the plant blooms well with blue-violet or bluish flowers; they are located at the ends of long shoots.
In the central strip of Russia, such varieties of Tradescantia as Anderson and Virginia are grown in the open. Tradescantia is rich in nutrients and medicinal substances.
Fans of aquariums use Tradescantia to decorate their aquariums. On its sides are placed pots with young plants so that the stems of Tradescantia sink to the water, forming a beautiful "rug" on the surface.
Tradescantia has the ability to remove electromagnetic radiation, clean the air in the room, moisten it.
Care instructions
Lighting. Houseplant Tradescantia prefers bright diffused light. Can withstand both direct sunlight and partial shade. It is better to grow this plant on windows directed to the east or west, sometimes they are placed on the northern windows. In the case of placing it on the southern windows, do not forget to pritenyat Tradescantia in the summer months.
Variegated species require more light: in case of lack of illumination, they lose color, becoming green, and, conversely, in the conditions of intensive sunlighting they acquire a very motley coloring. However, in excess of direct sunlight, the leaves of Tradescantia burn out. Among the various types of Tradescantia, the most shadowy are the white-flowered Tradescantia.
In the summer, indoor varieties are carried to the balcony or even planted in the garden. When choosing the landing site, be guided by the fact that it must be protected from direct sun and wind. In addition, Tradescantia is a treat for slugs, it is easy to populate aphids.
Temperature regime. The plant Tradescantia grows normally both in cool and in warm conditions. The average temperature in summer should be 25 ° C, in winter from 8 to 12 ° C. The plant feels rather well at higher degrees in winter.
Watering. In the spring and summer, Tradescantia prefers abundant watering. Do not allow water to stagnate in the pot. Watering is recommended after 1-2 days after the top layer of the substrate dries.
In the cold season, the land is maintained moderately moist. In this case, water should be applied after 2-3 days after the top layer of the soil has dried. Always make sure that the liquid does not accumulate. Do not absorb water that is collected in the pan after watering should be drained, and the tray should be wiped dry with a napkin. Water only with soft, well-settled water.
In cool conditions (13-16 ° C), for Tradescantia it is rare enough to water, when the soil in the pot is dry. This indoor plant normally tolerates the desiccation of the earth, but this can greatly weaken it.
Air humidity. Humidity plays an important role, but it should be noted that Tradescantia likes spraying on hot summer days.
Top dressing. Feeding should be in spring and summer, during the growing season, 2 times a month, can be more often. For this, organic and complex mineral fertilizers are used. Variegated species are not recommended to be fed with organic fertilizers, so as not to lose the variegation of leaves. Winter and autumn should not be fed.
Transfer. Indoor Tradescantia is prone to rapid aging and loss of decorativeness. Its leaves, located at the base of the shoots, dry up and fall off, exposing the stems. To avoid this it is necessary to "rejuvenate" the plant with an annual short pruning, prishchkami shoots and transplanting the whole plant in a nutritious land.
The transplant procedure is performed in spring once a year (in the case of young plants) or 2-3 times (for adults), combining it with trimming shoots. For this, a humus substrate with pH 5.5-6.5 is used. Tradescantia normally grows and in a mixture consisting of deciduous, turfy and humus earth (2: 1: 1). It adds a little sand. In stores you can buy a ready-made soil, designed for Tradescantia. Good drainage is mandatory.
Reproduction. Tradescantia is a plant that is propagated vegetatively (by cuttings, by dividing a bush) and seeds.
In March, the seeds are planted in a mini-greenhouse. Peat and sand are used as substrates in equal proportions. The temperature should be within 20 ° C. Do not forget to constantly spray and air a vessel with seeds. Seedlings bloom only for the third year.
Reproduction by cuttings is carried out at any time of the year. Shoots cut into cuttings measuring 10-15 cm, in groups (5-10 pieces), they are planted in pots. Roots are formed in a few days at 10-20 ° C. For planting the roots, the following substrate is formed: compost soil, humus and sand in equal proportions. pH 5.0-5 .5. In a month and a half the plants acquire a good decorative appearance.
Cutted sprig of Tradescantia can be placed in a glass of water, where it can be for many months and years. Only sometimes you need to add a little fertilizer to the water.
Precautionary measures. Tradescantia pale refers to poisonous species. It leaves irritation on the skin.
Difficulty of care
- If there are few leaves on the stems, then the plant feels a lack of moisture, light and nutrition.
- If the leaves lose their variegation and turn green, then the plant does not have enough light.
- If the stems wither, and the leaves appear yellowish spots, then Tradescantia lacks moisture.
- By spring the plants are stretched, the dried leaves at the base of the stem fall off, then the plant should be renewed with new rooted cuttings.
- If the tips of leaves become brown, it means that the room is very dry air.
- Strips on the leaves of Tradescantia can disappear due to poor lighting, incorrect pruning and cuttings.
- It is affected by various rot.