White Wandering Jew: How to Care for This Plant

The white wandering jew, Tradescantia zebrina, is a popular houseplant recognized for its colorful foliage. The leaves feature a variegated pattern of silvery-white, green, and hints of purple on the undersides. This plant has a vining growth habit, making it well-suited for hanging baskets or shelves where its stems can cascade downwards. Another common name for this plant is “wandering dude.”

White Wandering Jew Care

Light

Providing the correct amount of light is a primary factor in maintaining the vibrant variegation of your plant’s leaves. This plant thrives in bright, indirect light. An ideal location is near a north-facing window or a spot that receives filtered light from a south-facing window. Insufficient light will cause the silvery-white stripes to fade, leading to more solid green foliage. Conversely, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can scorch the leaves, causing them to burn and wilt.

Water

The goal is to keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Before watering, check the soil; a good rule of thumb is to water when the top one to two inches have become dry. When you do water, do so thoroughly until water drains from the bottom of the pot. Be sure to discard any excess that collects in the saucer to prevent the roots from sitting in water.

Soil

A well-draining potting mix is needed for this plant, as its roots are susceptible to rot in overly wet conditions. A standard houseplant potting mix works well, especially if it is amended to improve aeration and drainage. Incorporating materials like perlite, pumice, or orchid bark into the soil helps prevent it from becoming compacted. This allows for better air circulation around the roots.

Temperature and Humidity

This plant is adaptable to indoor temperatures, preferring a range between 60-80°F (15-27°C). Avoid placing it in drafty areas or locations with sudden temperature fluctuations. While it can tolerate average household humidity, it appreciates a more humid atmosphere. To increase humidity, you can mist the leaves, group it with other plants, or place its pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water.

Fertilizer

Feeding your Tradescantia is only necessary during the active growing season of spring and summer. Use a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half-strength every four to six weeks. During the fall and winter months, when the plant’s growth naturally slows, reduce feeding to once every two to three months or stop entirely.

Pruning Your Plant

Regular pruning is beneficial for maintaining a full, bushy appearance and preventing the plant from becoming sparse or “leggy.” Over time, stems can grow long with leaves spaced far apart, especially in lower light. Trimming these stems encourages the plant to branch out, resulting in denser growth.

Using clean scissors or your fingertips, cut the stems back to a desired length just after a leaf node. This is the small bump on the stem where a leaf emerges and is the point from which new growth will sprout. These plants are resilient and grow back quickly, so do not hesitate to trim a significant portion of the length.

Propagating Cuttings

Tradescantia is easy to propagate from the pieces you’ve pruned, and cuttings can be rooted in either water or soil. Prepare the cutting by taking a stem a few inches long and removing the leaves from the lower portion that will be submerged or buried.

For water propagation, place the prepared cuttings in a jar of water, ensuring at least one node is underwater while the leaves remain above the waterline. Change the water every few days, and you should see roots developing within a couple of weeks.

To propagate in soil, insert the cut end of the stem into a pot of moist, well-draining soil, making sure a node is buried. Keep the soil lightly moist, and the cutting will establish roots in a few weeks.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with proper care, you might encounter some common issues.

• Fading variegation: This indicates insufficient light. Move the plant to a location with brighter, indirect light to restore its vibrant coloring.
• Leggy growth: Long, bare stems are also caused by a lack of light. Correct this by pruning the stems and improving light conditions.
• Brown, crispy leaf tips: This is often a sign of low humidity or underwatering. Misting the plant or using a pebble tray can increase ambient moisture.
• Yellowing leaves and mushy stems: These are symptoms of overwatering and potential root rot. Check the roots, trim any that are brown and mushy, and let the soil dry more between waterings.