Growing Wandering Jew
Posted On April 3, 2020
Wandering Jew, also called spiderwort, is valued for the stripes of white, green, silver, and purple colors of its foliage.
Planting
- Grow in all-purpose potting mix in either a pot or hanging basket.
- Select a location that delivers medium to bright light.
- The room temperature should be between 55° and 75°F.
Care
- Water completely and allow the soil to dry partially before watering again. Wandering jew doesn’t like to dry out, but it also doesn’t like to be constantly wet.
- You can water less during the winter months during the plant’s resting period.
- Provide fertilizer twice a month in the spring and summer.
Pests/Diseases
- Aphids tend to be a problem on the stems and leaves. To get rid of them, pinch off the infected stems and spray the plant with water.
Harvest/Storage
- Wandering Jew can easily be propagated by cuttings. Snip off a piece of the plant (the cutting should ideally be 3–4 inches long) and place the cut end in water. In about a week or less, the cutting should produce roots. A week or so later, plant the cutting in a pot according to the planting guidelines above.
Recommended Varieties
- Tradescantia zebrina ‘Tricolor’ (pictured at the top of this page) has beautiful purple and green leaves with shiny silver stripes.
- Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Heart’ has fuzzy, purple foliage.
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