Tradescantia

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Tradescantia (lat. Tradescantia) - decorative leafy flowering perennial from the Kommelinovye family. This plant was first described by Karl Linnaeus. By the way, among the people Tradescantia has another name - "the eternal Jew".

Description

Tradescantia is an evergreen herbaceous perennial, endowed with either straight or creeping shoots, the height of which ranges from forty-five to seventy centimeters. And the root system of this plant is superficial and fibrous, with underdeveloped short hairs.

The purple-green leaves of Tradescantia boast a very interesting saber-like shape, and in length they can grow up to twenty-five to thirty-five centimeters.

Simple Tradescantia flowers are formed by three petals, and all these flowers fold into graceful umbrella-shaped or paniculate inflorescences. The inflorescences of this plant are axillary, and they can be both apical and located in the axils of the upper leaves. As for the color of the flowers, it can be white, crimson, purple, blue, blue or lilac. There are always a lot of buds on this beauty - this is due to the fact that each petal lasts only one day in dissolution. Tradescantia usually begins to bloom with the onset of June, and this magnificent spectacle ends most often in September.

In total, there are about sixty species in the genus Tradescantia.

Where grows

In natural conditions, Tradescantia can most often be seen in the temperate and tropical zones of America - the extent of its habitat starts from the south of Canada and ends in the north of Argentina.

Usage

In culture, Tradescantia is valued for its ability to maintain decorativeness over a fairly long period. Small, but at the same time densely spaced Tradescantia flowers create the illusion of a bright point fireworks against a vast background of lush and abundant greenery. This plant looks especially impressive near various reservoirs, as well as in the design of windows and various interiors.

Tradescantia will look best in combination with daylilies, goldenrod, gailardia, swimsuits or hosts. It can be safely grown in ordinary or winter gardens, and in greenhouses, and even as a houseplant.

In the middle lane, Anderson's Tradescantia or Virginia's Tradescantia is most often planted in open ground.

Growing and caring

Tradescantia will grow well in calm and slightly shaded areas with humus-rich, moist soils. Moreover, it can grow in the same place without transplants for up to six years. The most important thing is to avoid direct rays of the sun on its leaves, as this can lead to the appearance of quite serious burns on the leaves that can even provoke the death of some parts of these leaves.

In general, Tradescantia is not particularly whimsical in leaving. It is recommended to cut off all its fading shoots by about one third - this is necessary in order to stimulate re-flowering. When hot weather is established, Tradescantia should be watered as the soil dries up, and with the onset of winter, a spectacular beauty should be carefully covered with spruce branches.

Tradescantia propagates either by sowing seeds in the ground in April, or by cuttings, or by dividing the bushes in autumn or spring. As for the distance between plants, it should be between thirty and forty centimeters. Under proper conditions, seedlings usually begin to delight with their flowering already in the third year, in addition, if conditions are favorable, Tradescantia can also multiply by self-sowing.