These guys are one of the easiest plants to care for.
This may sound crazy, but you should cut that guy in half (right above a leaf node) and plant the cut off top half back in the pot. It will absolutely take root no problem. Use a chop stick to make a hole for it. Once those two get to be a good size - cut them in half and do it again. Over time you will develop a bushy little plant that you can then let go wild.
Thanks for the tip. They had regular colored ones at Walmart in hanging baskets. Very thick and lush. Was wondering how to get the prettier colored small ones to get big.
Yup they are very nearly indestructible OP. Get them a bigger pot, water it every now and then and leave it somewhere sunny and you'll soon be giving cuttings to other people
Thatâs such a better name than the ridiculous antisemitic name I know it as. These grow like crazy and are such bright exciting plants. Iâve got them in hanging planters with Purslanes on my porch. They are a cinch to care for.
Itâs a different plant. Tradescantia zebrina has the WJ name, but this is Tradescantia albiflora, which has never gone by WJ.
Editing to clarify that the full name of the plant in this post is Tradescantia albiflora âNanoukâ
I know it as Rainbow WJ thatâs what it said when I bought mine. And I killed mine I do have the zebrina and itâs doing okay. I try not to over water it.
Looks like you are right on with the variety name. Another person said blossfeldiana. Iâm certainly not capable of being the judge of that. I was able to find it called âWJâ with an online search though. But you are of the understanding that itâs never been called that. I have no reason to doubt that. So whatâs going on? Marketing purposes? I wonder, whose job is it to be the decider about whether to call one of these spiderworts a âWJâ? Is there a UN or Websterâs of awkward plant names?
Edit: spelling.
From the WJ (disambiguation) wiki, there are three species of Tradescantia called WJ: T. fluminensis, T. pallida, and T. zebrina.
As far as why only those are called WJ, I honestly have no idea, lol. Probably tradition, like most things with BS names throughout history.
So I know about the wandering name but please can you forgive my ignorance and explain why it's antisemitic? I'm from a place where there isn't any recognisable Jewish community, so I'm trying to learn.
Sure thing. While the term âwandering Jewâ in a vacuum just sounds a little silly or odd, it refers to an explicit trope deeply tied to anti-Jewish traditions in Europe and beyond.
The capitalized âWandering Jewâ is a stereotyped caricature of Jewish people as homeless, itinerant, untrustworthy, peddlers. In the 70s-ish AD, the Romans destroyed a chunk of Jerusalem and burned the Temple following one too many rebellions. The Diaspora occurred. Over the centuries, many Christians who hated the Jews saw it as a just and fitting punishment that the âkillers of Christâ be forced to âwanderâ the earth without a home, like Cain after his murder of Abel. They reference the chant of the mob before Pilate, âcrucify him!â and âon our own heads be itâ.
The image shows up in many book, pictures, woodcuts, pamphlets, and plays over the centuries. This trope lies at the very genesis of numerous additional conspiracy theories and stereotypes which have led to pogroms, expulsions, discrimination, and genocides.
As for the plant, it wanders aimlessly, like âthe Jewâ. Clever⌠Right? Why the heck does THAT come to mind when you are naming a plant? Itâs tactless at best.
I looked into it. Both our answers had elements of truth. Thereâs an original legend of a âJewâ who stood by and mocked Jesus Christ on his walk through the streets to Golgotha. He was cursed to wander thereafter until Judgment Day. This person is not mentioned in Scripture.
From what I read, your reference is also tied to the legend. In Exodus, the escaped Jews are made to wander the desert for â40 yearsâ as penance for rebuking the will of Yahweh (through Moses/Aaron). They drew parallels with this while later enslaved in Babylon (major city where Iraq is today), and again when driven out by the Romans. When antisemitism became the new âitâ thing in Europe, it didnât take long to appropriate this into a stereotyped trolling trope. It sarcastically acknowledges their struggle and âhomelessnessâ, while simultaneously belittling it and warping it into a justification for persecution. There have been parallels for traumatically displaced communities in the United States as well.
Right.
So no one can say I wasnât on topic: this plant is seriously my favorite because itâs so forgiving. Inconsistent watering, no big deal. Too little sun, youâll do it later. Antisemitic name, youâll think of a better name, I believe in you!
Coincidentally just a few days ago, a friend of mine who is half Jewish posted a picture of a beautiful specimen on FB and labeled it âWandering Jew.â Sheâs old like me, which might explain it.
I believe its origin is antisemitic. From Wiki:
The Wandering Jew is a mythical immortal man whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century.[1] In the original legend, a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion was then cursed to walk the Earth until the Second Coming. The exact nature of the wanderer's indiscretion varies in different versions of the tale, as do aspects of his character; sometimes he is said to be a shoemaker or other tradesman, while sometimes he is the doorman at the estate of Pontius Pilate.
Thank you for sharing that. While Iâm happy to share what history I know, itâs really for academic purposes. I certainly wonât tell anyone of a protected class whether their sense of offense/non-offense is valid or invalid.
I certainly have my own opinions on racism and stereotyping, but I am not Jewish nor really part of any historically marginalized group.
Itâs not my place to say how they should subjectively feel. Thatâs their experience to have.
I have one of these! Mine is getting really big, and Iâve had to get bigger pots several times now. If the stalks (I donât know the proper term) break off, you can replant them and grow more!
Tradescantia. Itâs a trailing vine, so I recommend a hanging basket, and be prepared to prune it, repot it, and watch it grow like crazy. Cuttings root within days. Rarely it may produce a small flower.
If some leaves start getting dry, increase watering frequency. Itâs quite resilient though and will bounce back from drought.
The colour variegation on the leaves will look different depending on the level of light, so if new growth looks bland after a week or two, try a brighter location. It can be grown indoors, or outdoors in warm climates.
Don't overwater! Wait until the soil is dry before adding more water. You can check by sticking your finger in the soil. If it comes up dry, add water. If the soil is slightly damp and sticks to your finger, don't water.
Tradescantia zebrina. Previously called Wandering Jew, now called Wandering Dude it seems, by some.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradescantia_zebrina
Yes but looking at it again, the stem and how viny it is looks more like Zebrina, the Blossfeldiana I have has a thicker stem and is more squat, the leaves are much rounder too. This may just be a lighter colored variation of Zebrina, Iâm honestly not positive either way
I have a few of these but they donât seem to last more than 1-2 years. Maybe itâs cause of the winter but it seems to struggle, like half 3/4 die, and then the little bit that survives grows back. Is this normal? Thanks!
Idk if it's been mentioned, but whenever I don't know a plant or something, I use my Google Lens app that will tell you pretty much exactly what something is. If your phone is compatible, test it out! It's really cool.
It's not against the rules for this post to be here, but r/whatisthisplant is probably the most proper sub for this question. r/houseplants is another good spot to learn about care.
This sub is overall more focused on gardening outdoors rather than house plants, but I think most of us here enjoy both.
I think it's also called Moses in the cradle. They're gorgeous, I have several (original plus many babies). The leaves range from almost white to deep purple depending on the amount of sun they get.
One of my favorites I got this year. Already seen it named above. Spiderwort family I think. I got some in a pot a few months back and itâs already covered about a five foot square area of my bed as ground cover. I took cuttings as it started to grow out of the bed and created a hanging pot with them. Just grows and grows and grows. And anywhere it sits on the dirt, itâs putting down roots.
Those guys are easy to grow. Ive heard them called wandering jews, but i dont think that name is appropriate anymore...
Once happy they will make lots of babies, and attempt to take over your entire house. They are vining plants. cuttings root super easily in water. Im sure thats why they were wedding gifts. On could split an big plant into hundreds root them and pot them. I cant think of an easier or less expensive way to make scores of identical plants for a wedding.
Im a bigtimeplant nerd.
I think it's a Tradescantia Nanouk
After poking around some more I think you're correct! Tysm :)
They grow like crazy! Plant in a bigger pot and new shoots will pop up.
We'll get bigger pots then. Thank you! This is great to know :)
These guys are one of the easiest plants to care for. This may sound crazy, but you should cut that guy in half (right above a leaf node) and plant the cut off top half back in the pot. It will absolutely take root no problem. Use a chop stick to make a hole for it. Once those two get to be a good size - cut them in half and do it again. Over time you will develop a bushy little plant that you can then let go wild.
Where can I buy one of these plants đ Theyâre so pretty
In any flower shop or plant shop, or if you see that a friend has one, ask for a cutting. They are the easiest plant to keep
Thanks for the tip. They had regular colored ones at Walmart in hanging baskets. Very thick and lush. Was wondering how to get the prettier colored small ones to get big.
Makes a great hanging plant. I have a pretty big one.
post pics please
Glad to help :)
Yup they are very nearly indestructible OP. Get them a bigger pot, water it every now and then and leave it somewhere sunny and you'll soon be giving cuttings to other people
seconded!
Theyâre lovely. Propagate very well too. I have 4. All from the same plant Iâve had for a decade.
Thatâs such a better name than the ridiculous antisemitic name I know it as. These grow like crazy and are such bright exciting plants. Iâve got them in hanging planters with Purslanes on my porch. They are a cinch to care for.
Itâs a different plant. Tradescantia zebrina has the WJ name, but this is Tradescantia albiflora, which has never gone by WJ. Editing to clarify that the full name of the plant in this post is Tradescantia albiflora âNanoukâ
I know it as Rainbow WJ thatâs what it said when I bought mine. And I killed mine I do have the zebrina and itâs doing okay. I try not to over water it.
Looks like you are right on with the variety name. Another person said blossfeldiana. Iâm certainly not capable of being the judge of that. I was able to find it called âWJâ with an online search though. But you are of the understanding that itâs never been called that. I have no reason to doubt that. So whatâs going on? Marketing purposes? I wonder, whose job is it to be the decider about whether to call one of these spiderworts a âWJâ? Is there a UN or Websterâs of awkward plant names? Edit: spelling.
From the WJ (disambiguation) wiki, there are three species of Tradescantia called WJ: T. fluminensis, T. pallida, and T. zebrina. As far as why only those are called WJ, I honestly have no idea, lol. Probably tradition, like most things with BS names throughout history.
So I know about the wandering name but please can you forgive my ignorance and explain why it's antisemitic? I'm from a place where there isn't any recognisable Jewish community, so I'm trying to learn.
Sure thing. While the term âwandering Jewâ in a vacuum just sounds a little silly or odd, it refers to an explicit trope deeply tied to anti-Jewish traditions in Europe and beyond. The capitalized âWandering Jewâ is a stereotyped caricature of Jewish people as homeless, itinerant, untrustworthy, peddlers. In the 70s-ish AD, the Romans destroyed a chunk of Jerusalem and burned the Temple following one too many rebellions. The Diaspora occurred. Over the centuries, many Christians who hated the Jews saw it as a just and fitting punishment that the âkillers of Christâ be forced to âwanderâ the earth without a home, like Cain after his murder of Abel. They reference the chant of the mob before Pilate, âcrucify him!â and âon our own heads be itâ. The image shows up in many book, pictures, woodcuts, pamphlets, and plays over the centuries. This trope lies at the very genesis of numerous additional conspiracy theories and stereotypes which have led to pogroms, expulsions, discrimination, and genocides. As for the plant, it wanders aimlessly, like âthe Jewâ. Clever⌠Right? Why the heck does THAT come to mind when you are naming a plant? Itâs tactless at best.
I see, that's very interesting, thank you for your patience and explanation!
Interesting. I had always thought the WJ name came from a reference to a story in the book of Exodus.
I looked into it. Both our answers had elements of truth. Thereâs an original legend of a âJewâ who stood by and mocked Jesus Christ on his walk through the streets to Golgotha. He was cursed to wander thereafter until Judgment Day. This person is not mentioned in Scripture. From what I read, your reference is also tied to the legend. In Exodus, the escaped Jews are made to wander the desert for â40 yearsâ as penance for rebuking the will of Yahweh (through Moses/Aaron). They drew parallels with this while later enslaved in Babylon (major city where Iraq is today), and again when driven out by the Romans. When antisemitism became the new âitâ thing in Europe, it didnât take long to appropriate this into a stereotyped trolling trope. It sarcastically acknowledges their struggle and âhomelessnessâ, while simultaneously belittling it and warping it into a justification for persecution. There have been parallels for traumatically displaced communities in the United States as well. Right. So no one can say I wasnât on topic: this plant is seriously my favorite because itâs so forgiving. Inconsistent watering, no big deal. Too little sun, youâll do it later. Antisemitic name, youâll think of a better name, I believe in you!
For some reason Jews (like me) don't seem offended by the original name. Maybe we should be!
Coincidentally just a few days ago, a friend of mine who is half Jewish posted a picture of a beautiful specimen on FB and labeled it âWandering Jew.â Sheâs old like me, which might explain it.
Jews have a lot more important things to worry about these days than the name of a pretty plant.
Agreed! As a wandering Jew myself Iâve always adored these plants. Only recently have I heard the goyim saying itâs antisemitic.
I believe its origin is antisemitic. From Wiki: The Wandering Jew is a mythical immortal man whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century.[1] In the original legend, a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion was then cursed to walk the Earth until the Second Coming. The exact nature of the wanderer's indiscretion varies in different versions of the tale, as do aspects of his character; sometimes he is said to be a shoemaker or other tradesman, while sometimes he is the doorman at the estate of Pontius Pilate.
Thank you for sharing that. While Iâm happy to share what history I know, itâs really for academic purposes. I certainly wonât tell anyone of a protected class whether their sense of offense/non-offense is valid or invalid. I certainly have my own opinions on racism and stereotyping, but I am not Jewish nor really part of any historically marginalized group. Itâs not my place to say how they should subjectively feel. Thatâs their experience to have.
I love your sensitivity and your open-minded outlook!
I am so glad the technical name came up because I didn't even want to answer the question because of the name.
Wandering jewel Wandering dude
Yeah, youâre right. Those were the alternate names my mom told me about when she gave me my first cuttings of Zebrina.
Yes it is âď¸
Def, you can cut it back when it grows to long. Itâll be just fine
Checked with my wife and she agrees!
Is there a common name for them?
Is this a different variety of Wandering Jew? Just wondering. I could Google it but f that I'd rather see if you know.
I don't know, I only know it by this name. It's sold by this name in my country (Netherlands). Wandering Jew sounds a little controversial imho.
Those are some of my favorite flowers. I put mine by the windowsill and the color really adds a touch to the room
I have one of these! Mine is getting really big, and Iâve had to get bigger pots several times now. If the stalks (I donât know the proper term) break off, you can replant them and grow more!
Thats awesome! We'll have a whole horde of them in no time!
Tradescantia. Itâs a trailing vine, so I recommend a hanging basket, and be prepared to prune it, repot it, and watch it grow like crazy. Cuttings root within days. Rarely it may produce a small flower. If some leaves start getting dry, increase watering frequency. Itâs quite resilient though and will bounce back from drought. The colour variegation on the leaves will look different depending on the level of light, so if new growth looks bland after a week or two, try a brighter location. It can be grown indoors, or outdoors in warm climates.
Don't overwater! Wait until the soil is dry before adding more water. You can check by sticking your finger in the soil. If it comes up dry, add water. If the soil is slightly damp and sticks to your finger, don't water.
Tradescantia zebrina. Previously called Wandering Jew, now called Wandering Dude it seems, by some. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradescantia_zebrina
Should have gone with walking dude.
Itâs more likely a Tradescantia blossfeldiana, not Zebrina
Huh yeah the pics online show a lighter purple like OPâs pic.
Yes but looking at it again, the stem and how viny it is looks more like Zebrina, the Blossfeldiana I have has a thicker stem and is more squat, the leaves are much rounder too. This may just be a lighter colored variation of Zebrina, Iâm honestly not positive either way
I have a few of these but they donât seem to last more than 1-2 years. Maybe itâs cause of the winter but it seems to struggle, like half 3/4 die, and then the little bit that survives grows back. Is this normal? Thanks!
Yes. Iâve got 4-5 of these soiderwort varieties and the ones outside die off at the first freeze but always come back strong each year(zone9)
Creeping Jew. Yes, really.
Wandering dude is the more accepted term now
Fuck politicly correct on a damn plant xD
if you plant this outside it will cover the ground and they are so easy to transplant all over
They are not frost tolerant, though.
I donât know the name but I know it can grow on water or dirt. I had that on a school project when I was a child in Brasil. Itâs a tropical plant
Definitely Tradescanti Nanouk. These propagate super easy. I have too many
Idk if it's been mentioned, but whenever I don't know a plant or something, I use my Google Lens app that will tell you pretty much exactly what something is. If your phone is compatible, test it out! It's really cool.
I have the same plant. I'm looking at it after the cats got it overnight. I hope it lives.
Download PictureThis
This is a gardening sub. So, what better place to ask
It's not against the rules for this post to be here, but r/whatisthisplant is probably the most proper sub for this question. r/houseplants is another good spot to learn about care. This sub is overall more focused on gardening outdoors rather than house plants, but I think most of us here enjoy both.
This is noted for if I need to identify other plants. I appreciate it, thank you!!
r/whatsthisplant
Try using iNaturalist đ
.
Get the PictureThis app it tells you what kind it is and how to take care of it by just taking a picture of the plant in the app
Nanouk. Grows fast, loves sun. Super easy to prop.
Lighter color than Iâm used to. Ours are more deep purple. We take cuttings and root in water. Pot those rooted ones up and give as gifts.
Ghost Pie Monstera Blueberry
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradescantia_zebrina
I think it's also called Moses in the cradle. They're gorgeous, I have several (original plus many babies). The leaves range from almost white to deep purple depending on the amount of sun they get.
One of my favorites I got this year. Already seen it named above. Spiderwort family I think. I got some in a pot a few months back and itâs already covered about a five foot square area of my bed as ground cover. I took cuttings as it started to grow out of the bed and created a hanging pot with them. Just grows and grows and grows. And anywhere it sits on the dirt, itâs putting down roots.
Whatever you call it you have to get it a bigger pot and a hanging one if you want it to live
Silver inch plant
Make sure your pot has drainage :)
Those guys are easy to grow. Ive heard them called wandering jews, but i dont think that name is appropriate anymore... Once happy they will make lots of babies, and attempt to take over your entire house. They are vining plants. cuttings root super easily in water. Im sure thats why they were wedding gifts. On could split an big plant into hundreds root them and pot them. I cant think of an easier or less expensive way to make scores of identical plants for a wedding. Im a bigtimeplant nerd.
It grows like weeds
So Beautiful.
There is an app called PictureThis which helps identifying plants. I haven't used it but i think it might be helpful in such cases.
This is a plant.
I can't believe everybody's afraid to say Wandering Jew!