How to grow Spiderwort

Spiderwort grow and care – herbaceous of the genus Tradescantia also known as Wandering jew plant, Spiderwort perennial evergreen or annual in colder climate used as ornamental plant, can grow in mediterranean, desert, subtropics, temperate or tropics climate and growing in hardiness zone 9+ as perennial and hardiness zone 3+ as annual plant, some spices can grow in hardiness zone 3-9 as perennial and mostly in the coldest hardiness zone that the plant can survive usually will need overwinter care.

Popular Spiderwort Species & Gardening Supplies

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3 Ohio Spiderwort Live Plants (Tradescantia ohiensis) – Hardy Native Perennial with Violet-Blue Flowers, Long Bloom in Late Spring Through Summer, Full Sun to Part Shade, Drought-Tolerant
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Perennial Farm Marketplace Tradescantia x 'Concord Grape' (Spiderwort) Perennial, Size-#1 Container, Violet Purple Flowers
Perennial Farm Marketplace Tradescantia x 'Concord Grape' (Spiderwort) Perennial, Size-#1 Container, VioletCheck Price on Amazon
Perennial Farm Marketplace Tradescantia andersoniana 'Sweet Kate' (Spiderwort) Perennial, Size-#1 Container, Brilliant Gentian Blue Flowers
Perennial Farm Marketplace Tradescantia andersoniana 'Sweet Kate' (Spiderwort) Perennial, Size-#1 Container, BrilliantCheck Price on Amazon
Outsidepride Spiderwort Seeds - 1000 Pcs. Perennial, Drought Tolerant & Low Maintenance, Flower Seeds for Planting Dark-Green Foliage & Blue-Violet Clustered Blooms, Great for Pollinator Gardens
Outsidepride Spiderwort Seeds - 1000 Pcs. Perennial, Drought Tolerant & Low Maintenance,Check Price on Amazon
Ohio Spiderwort Seeds for Planting - 1 Pack
Ohio Spiderwort Seeds for Planting - 1 PackCheck Price on Amazon
4 Tradescantia Spiderwort Cuttings to Grow - Easy to Grow Silver and Purple Wandering Jew Vine
4 Tradescantia Spiderwort Cuttings to Grow - Easy to Grow Silver andCheck Price on Amazon

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Spiderwort leaves and flowers

Leaves color can be: green, yellow, white, red, purple or more than one color, leaf can hairy and shape can be elliptic or linear with pointed top.

Flower color can be: purple, pink, blue or white, the flower has three petals.

Spiderwort for sale – Seeds or Plants to Buy

How to grow Spiderwort growing and care:

Strong plant without special requirement but the plant prefer: moist soil, humidity, rich soil, space to crawl

How to care:
When the plant young to add mulch to keep the moist of the soil, pruning once a year better after blooming season, add once a year organic matter

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seedling / Seed / Vegetative Reproduction – propagate by cutting or bending a branch over and covering it with soil

How to propagate by cutting:
Propagate by cuttings – cut stem and better to cut stem with at least 3 leaves, put it in the soil keep the soil moist and high humidity, cutting season spring to early summer another option cuttings in water need to switch every few days the water and after grow few roots to put in the soil or to wait more and put fertilizer

Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction?
No, but easier start from cutting than to start by seeds although germination also easy and when grow as annual better to start by cutting

Difficulties or problems when growing:
Invasive, aggressive

Planting season:
Spring as annual plant or in hardiness zone 3-9, spring to summer in hardiness zone 10a, spring to autumn 10b-11a, all year in hardiness zone 11b+

Pests and diseases:
Aphids, mealy bug

Pruning season:
All year, better in the winter and after blooming season

How to prune:
Dead leaves and bloom stems

Size of the plant:
10-125 cm, 4-50 inches

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Fast growing / Medium growing

Water requirement:
Average amount of water to small amount of water and can be drought tolerant

Light requirements and conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full sun, half shade, full shade – possible but need to know that without enough light the plants won’t bloom the plant need a lot of hours of indirect sunlight

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
Yes, but in order to bloom need to be mature and that mean place to grow

How to grow indoors
Choose location with light (better with even with little sun), artificial home light won’t be enough and indirect light will do the job

Growing is also possible in a pots, planter, flowerpot, containers:
Yes, start with container size minimum 5L to 10L (2.6-5.2 gallons) better bigger than the root ball at least 200% (the plant grow very fast), every time that the roots fill the pot need to switch to bigger or to prune the roots and the leaves and re-plant it also better to switch the soil every few years, better to use potting mix or peat soil with perlite, mix it with humus and organic matter, use chopped mulch to keep the soil moist, let the bottom of the pot fill in water but dry once in a few day.

Blooming information

Bloom season:
Summer / Autumn

General information about the flower:
Flower with 3 petals in the colors purple, pink, blue or white

Scientific name:

Tradescantia

How to grow Spiderwort

Categories

Blooming Seasons
  • Autumn flowers
  • Summer flowers
Flower colors
  • Blue flower
  • Pink flower
  • Purple flower
  • White flower
Climate
  • Desert Climate
  • Mediterranean Climate
  • Subtropics Climate
  • Temperate Climate
  • Tropics Climate
Leaf color
  • Purple leaf
  • Red leaves
  • White leaves
  • Yellow leaf
Ornamental parts
  • Ornamental flower
  • Ornamental leaves
  • Ornamental plant
Plant growing speed
  • Fast growing plants
Plant life-form
  • Annual plant
  • Evergreen
  • Herbaceous
  • Perennial plant
Plant Uses
  • Colored leaves
  • Ground cover plants
  • Indoor plants
  • Ornamental plants
Planting Season
  • Autumn Planting
  • Spring Planting
  • Summer planting
Plants sun exposure
  • Full sun Plants
  • Part shade Plants
  • Shade Plants
Watering plants
  • Small amounts of water
Hardiness zone
  • Hardiness zone 10
  • Hardiness zone 11
  • Hardiness zone 12
  • Hardiness zone 13
  • Hardiness zone 3
  • Hardiness zone 4
  • Hardiness zone 5
  • Hardiness zone 6
  • Hardiness zone 7
  • Hardiness zone 8
  • Hardiness zone 9

Growing in Pots, Balconies & Indoors

Spiderwort (Tradescantia) is a fast-growing, easy foliage plant and one of the most popular houseplants and hanging-basket subjects. It grows well indoors in good light and thrives in pots, though it needs regular potting-on because it grows so quickly.

Quick Details

  • Container Size: Start around 5-10 L (2.6-5.2 gal), at least 200% bigger than the root ball; it grows fast and soon needs potting up (grower’s guidance)
  • Indoor Suitability: A genuine houseplant – grows well indoors in bright, indirect light
  • Best Spot: Full sun to shade; lots of bright, indirect light (it needs good light to bloom)
  • Soil & Drainage: Rich but open mix – potting mix or peat with perlite, plus humus/organic matter (grower’s mix)
  • Watering in Pots: Keep lightly moist – water can briefly pool at the base but should dry out every few days

Indoors & On the Windowsill

  • Houseplant: An excellent, easy houseplant. It grows well in bright, indirect light indoors; artificial room light alone is not enough, but a bright window (even with a little sun) keeps it full and colourful. To flower it needs to be mature and have room to grow.
  • Windowsill & hanging baskets: Superb in a bright window or hanging basket where its trailing stems can spill; pinch it back to keep it bushy. Frost-tender, so it is an easy plant to overwinter indoors in cold climates.
  • Safety: Tradescantia sap can irritate skin and is mildly toxic if eaten, so keep it away from pets and small children who may chew it.

On a Balcony or Patio

  • Light & shelter: Happy in bright shade to part sun on a balcony in warm weather; strong midday sun can scorch it. It is frost-tender, so bring it indoors before cold weather.
  • Practicalities: Fast, lush growth means pots dry and fill with roots quickly – check moisture often and be ready to pot up.

Choosing the Pot, Soil & Long-Term Care

  • Pot & drainage: A pot with strong drainage holes; the grower lets water briefly collect at the base, but it should dry out within a few days – do not leave it permanently waterlogged.
  • Potting mix: Potting mix or peat with perlite, enriched with humus and organic matter; a mulch of chopped material helps keep it moist.
  • Feeding: In pots, feed regularly through the growing season – fast growth uses nutrients quickly and they leach out with watering.
  • Repotting: Because it grows so fast, pot up whenever roots fill the container, or root- and top-prune and replant; refresh the soil every few years.

Grower’s Container Tip

  • Keep pace with a fast grower: Start in a 5-10 L pot at least 200% larger than the root ball; then, each time the roots fill it, either move up a size or prune the roots and leaves and replant, refreshing the soil every few years. Use potting mix or peat with perlite plus humus and organic matter, mulch to hold moisture, and let the base briefly hold water but dry out every few days.

Bloom & Flower Guide

Quick Details

  • Bloom Season: Summer / Autumn
  • Time to First Bloom: Fast-growing – it usually flowers in its first or second season
  • Flower Appearance: Small three-petalled flowers in a neat triangular form, coloured purple, pink, blue or white
  • Edibility: Not edible – the sap of this spiderwort can irritate skin and it is considered mildly toxic to cats and dogs (it causes dermatitis), so it is grown for looks only

Detailed Blooming Overview

Spiderwort – Tradescantia – is a spiderwort grown mainly for its foliage, but it flowers freely in summer and autumn. Each bloom is a small three-petalled triangle in purple, pink, blue or white. A hallmark of spiderworts is that every individual flower lasts only a single day, usually opening in the morning and closing by the heat of the afternoon, while the plant keeps opening a steady succession of fresh blooms over many weeks.

Flower Characteristics

  • Three triangular petals forming a small, tidy triangular flower.
  • Colour: purple, pink, blue or white.
  • Each flower is short-lived (about a day), with new buds opening in succession.
  • The open, pollen-rich flowers draw bees and other pollinators.

Bloom Care & Thinning

  • Prolonging the show: Because each flower lasts only a day, deadheading is not essential, but shearing back leggy or tired stems after the first flush encourages fresh growth and a new wave of flowers.
  • Light: The most generous flowering comes in bright light – morning sun with some afternoon shade suits it well.
  • Pollination: Bees visit the open, pollen-rich flowers readily.
  • Safety: Handle with a little care – the sap can cause skin irritation in people and pets, so keep nibbling cats and dogs away.

Bloom Health & Protection

  • Aphids: Soft new flower stems and buds can attract aphids; a firm jet of water, insecticidal soap or neem oil keeps them down.