A genus of fast-growing trailing American herbs popular as houseplants, with colorful striped foliage and small three-petaled pink, purple, or white flowers.
Description
Tradescantias have soft jointed stems with paired oval leaves in green and silver, purple, or pink stripes. Each three-petaled flower lasts only a day but the plants bloom over a long season.
Cultivation
Easy to grow indoors or outside in mild climates, tradescantias root in water with little effort. Bright light deepens leaf colors. The plant is invasive in some warm temperate regions.
Uses
A long-popular houseplant in many cultivars, tradescantia also features in pollinator gardens for its day-long flowers and is grown for pet-safe foliage in some species, though others irritate skin.