Inch plant
Tradescantia zebrina · also called Wandering dude, zebra plant
Foliage and indoor
- Light
- Sunny, Part sun
- Pot size
- Small pot (up to about 5 litres)
- Care level
- Easy
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; in a pot, keep it above about 18.3 °C (65 °F)
- Pets
- ASPCA: toxic to pets
Light and position
Filtered sun is best; full sun gives the strongest colour, and low light makes the lower leaves drop.
Size and pot
A trailing plant, 6 to 9 inches tall, that suits hanging baskets. Our pot band: small pot (up to about 5 litres).
Watering
Water regularly but let the soil dry out between waterings, and water less in winter.
Potting mix and feeding
Well-drained mix. It can be cut back hard each year to keep it compact.
Growing through the year
Stems root at the joints, so leggy pieces can be cut and rooted. NC State says it thrives at 65 to 75 °F (about 18 to 24 °C).
Winter outdoors
Cold limit in a pot: about 18.3 °C (65 °F). NC State says it thrives at 65 to 75 °F and is grown as an annual or indoor plant in cooler climates; we use the bottom of that range, 65 °F, as its limit.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Aphids, mealybugs, scale, whiteflies and spider mites; root rot in soggy soil. The sap can irritate skin.
Pets and people
ASPCA’s inch plant entry, filed under a related species (Tradescantia fluminensis), lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, with dermatitis as the sign; we apply it to this Tradescantia as a precaution. NC State also lists Tradescantia zebrina as a problem for dogs and cats.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Low). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.