Tradescantia gigantea grow and care – herbaceous of the genus Tradescantia also known as Giant spiderwort, Tradescantia gigantea 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 and with the right overwinter care in hardiness zone 8b.

Tradescantia gigantea Plants, Seeds & Supplies for Sale

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Sprout N Green Tradescantia Nanouk, Rare Pink Live Succulent Plant
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Tradescantia Zebrina Starter Plants - Pack of 5, Healthy and Pest-Free, Vibrant Purple Foliage, Perfect for Home & Garden, Easy-Care Indoor/Outdoor Houseplant
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Tradescantia Silver Plus Tradescantia Zebrina Live Potted Houseplants
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Tradescantia gigantea leaves and flowers

Leaves color green in elliptic shape with pointed edge.

Flower color purple or blue, triangle shape flower that assembled by 3 triangle petals.

Tradescantia gigantea for sale – Seeds or Plants to Buy

How to grow Tradescantia gigantea 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 8b-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:
50-90 cm, 20-36 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:
Spring / Summer

General information about the flower:
Triangle shape flower that assembled by 3 triangle petals, flower color purple or blue

Scientific name:

Tradescantia gigantea

Categories

Blooming Seasons
  • Autumn flowers
  • Summer flowers
Flower colors
  • Blue flower
  • Purple flower
Climate
  • Desert Climate
  • Mediterranean Climate
  • Subtropics Climate
  • Temperate Climate
  • Tropics Climate
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
  • 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

Spiderworts like Tradescantia gigantea are among the easiest and most rewarding container plants – fast, forgiving trailing or clumping growers that settle happily into pots on a windowsill, balcony or patio, reaching about 50-90 cm (20-36 in) tall. The grower confirms they grow well indoors as houseplants; a mature plant with room to grow will even flower. The main limit indoors is light: ordinary room lighting is too weak, so give it plenty of bright, indirect daylight (a little direct sun is welcome).

Quick Details

  • Container Size: Start at 5-10 L (2.6-5.2 gal), at least twice the size of the root ball – it grows fast and fills a pot quickly.
  • Indoor Suitability: A genuine, easy houseplant in bright indirect light; it only blooms once mature.
  • Best Spot: Bright, indirect light with a little sun (full sun to part shade outdoors).
  • Soil & Drainage: Airy potting mix or peat with perlite, enriched with humus and organic matter; must drain freely.
  • Watering in Pots: Keep lightly moist (a mulch helps); let the base briefly hold water then dry out over a few days – drought-tolerant and unhappy in constant wet.
  • Mature Size: About 50-90 cm (20-36 in) tall.

Indoors & On the Windowsill

  • A real houseplant: Yes – spiderwort is one of the classic beginner houseplants. Give it a spot with good light (even a little sun is fine); ordinary artificial room light alone is not enough, but bright indirect daylight does the job.
  • Flowering indoors: It needs to mature and have room to grow before it blooms, so give it space, light and time.
  • Windowsill growing: The trailing stems look great cascading from a bright sill or shelf, and the plant stays happy in a fairly small pot.
  • Overwintering: It is tender – in cold-winter climates bring it indoors before frost and keep it as a houseplant through winter; cuttings root very easily if you want a backup.
  • Keep out of reach: Spiderwort sap can irritate skin and is mildly toxic to pets and people if chewed – site it away from curious cats, dogs and small children, and never treat it as edible.

On a Balcony or Patio

  • Light & wind: Give it a bright spot with some sun. On hot, exposed balconies, walls and railings throw back heat and pots dry fast – check moisture often and offer a little shade in the fiercest afternoon sun.
  • Practicalities: It is light and easy to move or bring in for winter; make sure water drains freely and does not pool under the pot.

Choosing the Pot, Soil & Long-Term Care

  • Pot & drainage: A 5-10 L pot with strong drainage holes; skip a permanently full saucer to avoid root rot. Terracotta breathes and dries faster (well suited to this drought-tolerant plant), while glazed or plastic holds moisture longer.
  • Potting mix: Airy potting mix or peat/coir with perlite, plus humus and organic matter; a layer of chopped mulch on top keeps the surface from drying too fast.
  • Feeding: Potted plants need feeding more often than in the ground, since nutrients leach out with watering – a light balanced feed through the growing season is plenty.
  • Repotting & potting up: It grows fast, so when the roots fill the pot either move up a size or prune the roots and top growth and replant; refresh the mix every couple of years.

Grower’s Container Tip

  • Fill-and-dry watering: The grower lets the base of the pot fill with water and then dry out once every few days, keeping a chopped-mulch layer on top – a simple rhythm that keeps spiderwort evenly moist without leaving it waterlogged.
  • Give it headroom: Because it grows so quickly, he starts it in a pot at least 200% larger than the root ball so it has room to spread.

Bloom & Flower Guide

Quick Details

  • Bloom Season: Spring to summer
  • Flower Appearance: Three-petalled triangular flowers in purple or blue
  • Edibility: Ornamental – grown for its flowers and foliage

Detailed Blooming Overview

Giant spiderwort carries clusters of three-petalled purple to blue flowers above grassy foliage. Like other spiderworts, each flower lasts only a day – opening in the morning and closing by afternoon – but they open in steady succession over a long season.

Flower Characteristics

  • Triangular flowers built from three broad petals, purple or blue
  • Each bloom is short-lived (about a day), replaced by fresh buds in succession

Bloom Care & Thinning

  • Prolonging the show: Shear the clump back after the first flush to tidy it and encourage a fresh round of bloom.
  • Pollination: The open flowers are visited by bees and other insects.