Issue #27

Variegated Tradescantias: How to Keep Those Pretty Stripes!

Happy Sunday!

I hope you’re having a great weekend filled with plant care and cozy moments.

Have you ever had a beautiful variegated Tradescantia slowly lose its striking patterns, turning into an ordinary green plant? It’s frustrating, isn’t it? I’ve been there too, and I know how disheartening it can be to see those lovely stripes disappear. But don’t worry—I’ve got you covered. In this week’s newsletter, I’ll share exactly what to do to keep the pretty variegation and stop your plant from reverting.

Of course, that’s not all! This week’s Tradescantia spotlight is on Pink Clone, a beauty from the Continental Group that’s been a personal favorite lately. And for this week's Community Highlight, let me introduce you to Kaja from Slovenia, who has an amazing Tradescantia collection and a lovely plant story to share.

Tradescantia of the Week: Continental Group Pink Clone

Tradescantia Continental Group Pink Clone

This week, I wanted to show you a beauty from the Continental Group. My Pink Clone have after a battle with root rot and struggling with too little light, finally turned around and is looking amazing! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen it popping up in my posts already—and you’ll definitely see more, because I just love how it looks now!

Like most Tradescantias in the Continental Group, Pink Clone has a compact growth habit with short internodes and naturally branches out a lot. I do find it a bit more finicky than many of my other Tradescantias, but I’ve managed to keep it happy by growing it in sphagnum moss. This setup seems to give it just the right balance of moisture and aeration to keep it healthy.

Variegated Tradescantias: How to Keep Those Pretty Stripes!

Variegated Tradescantias are some of the most eye-catching plants out there with their beautiful white, pink, yellow, or cream patterns mixed with green. But what does "variegated" actually mean? It just means the leaves have more than one colour because of natural differences in their genetics. These unique patterns make them stand out, but they do need a bit of extra care to stay as pretty as they are.

Why You Should Watch the Variegation

Variegated Tradescantias are stunning, but they can be a little tricky. Sometimes, parts of the plant can "revert," which means the leaves lose their stripes and turn completely green. Green growth is stronger and faster, so if you don’t take care of it, it can take over the whole plant. Some Tradescantias are more prone to reverting than others, but no matter the variety, keeping an eye on the variegation is important.

Tips to Keep the Stripes

Trim Away Green Growth
If you notice a stem with all-green leaves, cut it back. This stops the green growth from taking over and helps your plant focus on maintaining the variegated parts.

Propagate the Best Variegation
If your plant has many reverted stems, consider starting over. Take cuttings from the best variegated stems and plant them in a new pot. You can keep the original pot too—if new stems with good variegation grow, simply add them to the new pot with your other variegated cuttings.

The Exception: Maiden’s Blush
Tradescantias will most likely never get their variegation back if it’s lost, but there’s one exception: Maiden’s Blush (sometimes mislabeled as Blushing Bride). Its variegation is unique and can reappear even after it seems to be gone. The variegation shows up in cooler or fluctuating temperatures. I’ve never managed to get it to "blush" indoors, but every summer when I plant it outside, those lovely pink tones return in no time.

Do you have a problem with your Tradescantia that you’re wondering about? Hit reply or send me your questions to katja@exploringtradescantias.com—I'd love to know what struggles you have and I’ll do my best to answer them all! 🌿

Community Highlight

Meet Kaja Zvan from Slovenia! Her first Tradescantia was a Zebrina, a gift from her boyfriend—and it was love at first sight! He knew how much she loved houseplants and found it in the garden section of a hardware store.

For Kaja, Tradescantias are the perfect plants because they grow fast and are so forgiving. As she says, "You can take cuttings and start over if you fail the first time—most plants don't adapt like that!"

Favorite Tradescantia?
Mundula Lisa or the adorable, fluffy Sillamontana Gold Stripes

#1 Tradescantia on your wishlist?
Zebrina HappiLee

One care tip or trick you swear by for your Tradescantias?
"Always let the soil dry out—or you'll be inviting root rot! They're more prone to it than other plants, and it's easy to kill them by overwatering, thinking you're taking good care of them. And no, they don't come back from that—believe me, I've tried! 😂"

Any fun stories about your Tradescantias you'd like to share?
"I'm on my third EC-TRADE-2011 because I just don't want to give up on it!"

You can find her on Instagram or TikTok as @kajazvan

Thank you for sharing your Tradescantia journey, Kaja! ✨