The open plant encyclopedia
Snap a photo or search by any name to see how to care for it, where it comes from, whether it's safe, and a 3D model you can turn.
The plants people record most in your country, and ones that grow there wild.
Filter by what you want to do, shape, origin, country, care and safety.
Tradescantia fluminensis
Also called Wandering Jew, Small-leaf Wandering Jew, Spiderwort, Wandering Sailor, Small Leaved Spiderwort, Smallleaf Spiderwort
A fast-spreading, trailing groundcover and houseplant that roots at every stem node touching soil. It thrives in moist soil and tolerates heavy shade.
Tradescantia fluminensis is a species of spiderwort native to South America. It is one of several plants known by the common name wandering Jew. It is also known as small-leaf spiderwort, river spiderwort, inch plant, speedy Henry, wandering willie and wandering trad.
Tradescantia fluminensis is grown as a garden plant or houseplant in many places. Even in places where it is a pest it may be grown as a house plant in variegated forms. The plant requires a moist soil to do well but is retarded by cold climates, especially where there is frost or snow. It tolerates heavy shade. Because it requires moisture it grows weakly, if at all, in sunny areas that dry out for long periods. However, because it is a fleshy plant that retains water, it can withstand extended periods of dryness only to resume growth once better conditions return.
Tradescantia fluminensis is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, causing dermatitis according to ASPCA.
Longbract spiderwort · Texas spiderwort · Prairie spiderwort · Bluejacket · Purple queen · Wooly Spiderwort · Boatlily · Zigzag spiderwort · Virginia spiderwort · Inchplant · Spiderwort
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Tradescantia fluminensis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
