How to Propagate Tradescantia

Tradescantia zebrina · Also called Wandering Dude, Inch Plant

Tradescantia roots faster than nearly any houseplant on this list — cuttings in water often show roots within a week. The only real skill is cutting below a node, the small joint along the stem where leaves attach.

Water propagation

1. Cut a 4–6 inch stem just below a node.
2. Strip the lowest leaves so the node is bare.
3. Place in a glass of water, leaves above the surface.
4. Bright indirect light. Change water every few days.

Roots appear in about a week, often faster. Pot when roots are an inch or two long.

Soil propagation

Follow the same steps, but bury the bare node about an inch deep in moist potting mix instead of water. Keep evenly moist while it roots, about 1–2 weeks.

When to propagate

Nearly any time indoors, though spring and summer root fastest. This is a good “always trimming” plant — take cuttings whenever a stem gets long and leggy, and replant several together for fullness.

Common problems

Stems are bare and leggy with leaves only at the tips. Reaching for more light. Move brighter and take cuttings from the leggy stems to fill the pot back in.

Cutting rotted in water. Leaves left below the waterline. Strip them and change the water regularly.

Colors have faded to plain green. Not enough light — the vivid purple and silver patterning depends on bright light, more than propagation method.

Questions people ask

How many cuttings should I plant together? Several — five or more in one pot creates a full look quickly, since single stems look sparse.

Is it toxic? Mildly irritating to skin and toxic if eaten by pets.

Related

Water propagation hub · Similar plants: Purple Heart, Swedish Ivy, Small-Leaf Spiderwort