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A fine old American mob of plant life once definitely considered “ center class , ” now almost patrician . Botanically Commelinaceae , popularly the Spiderwort family , and even more commonlyinch plant or wandering Jew – this multi - colored , multi - habited chemical group includes some of the most unusual , enjoyable , and adaptable plants to decorate the home .
Now do n’t recall great Grandma ’s column inch plant – a fastgrowing rambler with leaves strip or plain , shiny or sombre – and consider the subject closed . Unless you ’re a botanist , you ’ll find oneself some surprise in this fascinating family .
Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
For one thing , not all - inch plants are trailers . Some fawn around . Some do n’t go anywhere but up and out – like Rhoeo discolor ( Moses - in - the - provenience ) .
There ’s so much variety , you may not desire to translate any further unless you ’re resistant to the bite of the collector ’s bug . I ’m not – and you should see all the inch plant you could collect !
America ca n’t claim the Commelinas – they come from many countries in tropical Asia , Africa , Mexico , Central and South America , and even the ocean island . Botanical encyclopedias list more than 25 dissimilar zep - home ( genera ) entitle to the syndicate name .
What are the characteristics that tie in Commelinas to each other ?
mostly ( and observe that discussion ; all Commelinas do not have all of these characteristics ) , they ’re overweight , succulent - look plant with watery stems .
Their leaves are placed alternately – one here , at one side of the stem ; the next on the other side , space at a regular musical interval . The “ cocktail dress ” wraps their base , part or all of the way , around the stem .
The typical leaf configuration is oval – farseeing or squat – with veins run parallel from stalk end to leaf tip .
Most Commelinas have flower that bear variety meat of both sexes ( bisexual , like the African reddish blue ) . But here , the family traits start to diverge in several counselling .
It is by sure proficient characteristic of the peak that scientists can classify Commelinas into various grouping . The tradescantias and zebrinas , for example , are very similar ; unless they ’re in flower , it ’s difficult to tell them apart .
By the way , the law of similarity of appearance is not the only confusing factor . The matter of name is also not all the way - cut .
Sometimes authorities take issue , and often scientific progression has re - grouped and re - assign a diversity to a new or different genus . As far as possible , here , we included all the epithet available at present .
A Cultural How To For Commelinas
In a big class with such wide-ranging origins , there ’s tie to be some difference of notion among the plant on how they care to maturate . Specifics are present below .
Generally talk , the tumid varieties are dull cultivator and favour to stay that way . This is an asset when your growing quarters are overcrowded . They need only normally in force soil and a small amount of supplementary works food ( liquid fertiliser ) at not too frequent interval .
The house trailer – the 1 well know as inch plants are another kettle of fish .
With no food , even in the poorest soil , they ’ll adulterate out scraggly and despicable unless you ’re on your toes . hook out the summit to encourage branching .
Also , dilute the whole plant back somewhat oft . Then , rout the cutting and protrude over again . This way , you ’ll always have a plant flourish in the flush of juvenility .
These plants do have one unfortunate habit . The lowly leaves will naturally frizzly and dry up . This encounter even more ofttimes when the flora is prevent too wet .
When the leaves first take on a sickly , washy , slightly wretched spirit ( before they dry out ) , that ’s your signal to hold back the piddle .
Two More General Tips
The more Sunday , the brighter the foliage color – in general . Some varieties are too delicate for the hottest sun . Since most of these plant produce big ascendant balls in a hastiness , you ’ll find repotting necessary more often than for many other type of plants .
The Commelinas are eager to produce offspring – from cum ( if you could get it ) and from prow cuttings . These can be of any desirable duration from three inches up .
polish off the bottom leaves so that ascendant may come out of the joint . Place cuttings in a meth of water or jar on the windowpane sill or in vermiculite or any other propagating medium .
You do n’t even have to render the redundant humidity , so many more touchy cuttings expect . But , on the other hand , too much moistness will moulder the stems .
A Note About The Variegated Varieties
Shoots with nigh all - white leaves like some on Tradescantia fluminensis variegata andTradescantia Tricolorare touchy about making roots . But , unfortunately , they have no “ abdomen , ” not enough chlorophyll to carry on the life summons .
So select cuttings with some proportion of green . On the other hand , many variegate plants have different figure in leave on different stems . So you ’re quite justified in choosing the patterns you think are pretty to spread .
For a new industrial plant that ’s bushy and fuller in quicker time , pot several film editing together .
The Commelinas are delightful and adaptable decorators for the home . For example , try duplicate hang up baskets on either side of a window , with matching or contrasting trailers .
Or try a daring combination of a plain - leaved and a variegated , or a large - exit and a small in the same pot . They ’ll jumble delightfully .
Just ensure you select diverseness that have interchangeable ideas about the amount of Dominicus and moisture choose .
The inch plants are the most effective edger for window box – indoors or outdoors – or for particular effect in flower arrangements .
There are many means to apply and decorate with Commelinas . However , all the mixture mentioned below are by no agency all there are to take from .
These are the ones we ’ve collected , grown , and enjoyed . But , there are plenty more for you to discover for yourself .
IF YOUR INCH PLANT LOOKS LIKE THIS… ITS NAME IS PROBABLY:
Commelina bengalis (benghalensis) variegata
Growth wont : fork TrailingFoliage : ticklish gray - unripened , thinly striped , and edged white-hot . flower : depressed
Commelina elegans
ontogeny Habit : Branching TrailingFoliage : Giant green , heavy striped with white . efflorescence : racy
Cyanotis kewensis (Teddy Bear Plant)
maturation Habit : Branching CreepingFoliage : Triangular , woolly brown , over-embellished undersides . Flowers : Violet
Cyanotis somaliensis (Pussy Ears)
outgrowth Habit : Branching CreepingFoliage : Longish , unused Green River , with white-hot whiskers . Flowers : Purple , Orange
Dichorisandra reginae (Queen’s Spiderwort)
increase Habit : Stiffly erectFoliage : Slim , dark green marked with ash gray , iridescent reddish blue in the center and under . blossom : Lavender
Rhoeo discolor (Moses in the cradle)
Growth wont : Flat rosetteFoliage : Waxy dark metallic - greenish , brilliant purple under . blossom : clean
Tradescantia purpurea(Setcreasea purpurea, syn Tradescantia purpurea) – Purple Queen, Purple Heart
emergence riding habit : Branching TrailingFoliage : Large , royal purple with pale fuzz . Flowers : Lavender
Setcreasea (Callisia) striata
maturation Habit : furcate CreepingFoliage : Soft blueish - green , vivid white line down the middle , o.k. lines parallel on each side . blossom : white-hot
Siderasis fuscata
Growth riding habit : Erect rosetteFoliage : wide-eyed ovals often 2 - layered at bound ; Olea europaea with brownish bristle , facile center ; empurpled under . Flowers : Lavender
Spironema (Callisia) fragrans (Mexican Water Plant)
Growth Habit : large rosette ; unexampled growth on runners . Foliage : great , plain , spring green ; regal - distort in strong sun ; satiny . Flowers : White
Tradescantia alboflora “albovittata”
Growth Habit : Branching TrailingFoliage : Giant , blue - green with snowy chevron of varying widths . Flowers : lily-white
Tradescantia albiflora ‘Nanouk’
Tradescantia blossfeldiana
ontogenesis Habit : Branching TrailingFoliage : Large gray - fleeceable , empurpled , and gray - haired under . Flowers : White , purple tip
Tradescantia fluminensis variegata
Growth Habit : Branching trail
leaf : Daintier , grass jet variably banded and edged pure cream . bloom : White
Tradescantia lakenensis (Rainbow)
maturation substance abuse : branch TrailingFoliage : Petite , wan green and white-hot ransack , perfuse with lavender - pink . Flowers : clean
Tradescantia multiflora (Tahitian Bridal Veil, Fern Leaf)
emergence Habit : ramify TrailingFoliage : Smallish ellipse , manifest dark-brown - green , tinted purple under . Flowers : lily-white
Tradescantia (Callisia) navicularis (Chain Plant)
outgrowth substance abuse : furcate CreepingFoliage : Branching TrailingFlowers : White
Tradescantia sillamontana ‘White Gossamer’
ontogeny Habit : branch TrailingFoliage : Thick putting green , address with cobwebby white down . Flowers : White
Callisia repens (Bolivian Wandering Jew)
Growth Habit : Branching TrailingFoliage : heavyset green with purple spotting and royal underside . peak : White
Zebrina pendula (Tradescantia pendula)
maturation use : Branching TrailingFoliage : dilutant ; border and center iridescent purple - putting green separated by tolerant silver zone ; majestic under . peak : Rose - purple
Zebrina pendula discolor (Tradescantia pendula discolor)
development drug abuse : Branching TrailingFoliage : More Cu - green with purple and rust fungus - red in broader zones ; tenuous silver stripes on each side ; over-embellished under . flower : Purple
Zebrina pendula multicolor (Tradescantia pendula multicolor)
Growth Habit : branch TrailingFoliage : Larger , svelte green center and border , spacious creamy pinkish zones stress with lines of rust or sliver , purple under . prime : Purple
Zebrina pendula quadricolor (Tradescantia pendula quadricolor)
Growth Habit : branch TrailingFoliage : Delicate – introductory color iridescent violet - green , bands of varying breadth shine bloodless , pinkish , scarlet silver ; edge and underside purple . Flowers : Purple
Zebrina purpusii (Tradescantia purpusii)
Growth Habit : Branching TrailingFoliage : chatoyant taffeta – brown - green to purple - brown , indistinct unripened stripe ; purple bottom . Flowers : Lavender
