Wooly Spiderwort
Tradescantia sillamontana · Commelinaceae
📷 Michael Wolf · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
Ideal time to plant wooly spiderwort: set it out when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged, and water generously as it establishes.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, fleshy and velvety, gray-green
- Flowering
- June to August, small pink or white flowers
- Mature size
- 30 cm tall, compact and spreading habit
- Growth
- Fast
- Hardiness
- Frost-tender, indoor plant or warm climate
- Origin
- Mexico (Tamaulipas region)
- Soil type
- Well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability medium.
Expert tips
The key tip
Full sun and very well-draining soil (gravelly, poor): this little creeping succulent will get leggy in rich soil. Water sparingly, once or twice a week in summer only.
The common mistake
Potting it in rich soil with compost: it becomes mushy, loses its silvery color, and rots.
The pro's trick
Harvest the stems in June-July before flowering; they'll root in 2 weeks on dry sand, boosting your stock for free.
Care
Moderate watering
Let the substrate dry out between waterings, as this plant stores water in its fleshy leaves. In winter, drastically reduce watering. Avoid wetting the velvety foliage to prevent spotting.
Abundant light
Place the plant in full sun or in very bright light to maintain the gray-green color and foliage density. Insufficient light causes etiolation and makes the plant less attractive.
Pruning and pinching
Regularly pinch young stems to encourage a compact, branching habit. Remove dead or damaged parts in spring. Light pruning stimulates natural branching.
Light fertilizing
Apply diluted fertilizer once a month during the growing season (spring-summer). Reduce or stop feeding in fall-winter. Prefer balanced fertilizer to avoid excessive growth.
Well-draining substrate
Use a rich organic mix that's very well-draining, enriched with perlite or sand. Potting soil alone retains too much moisture and can cause root rot.
Health prevention
Watch for spider mites in dry air. Excess water promotes root rot. Ensure good air circulation and maintain moderate humidity to prevent fungal issues.
Did you know?
Tradescantia sillamontana owes its nickname 'woolly wandering jew' to the fine silvery hairs covering its fleshy leaves, creating a distinctive velvety appearance. This downy coating, called pubescence, acts as a protective barrier against the intense solar radiation of its native Mexico, demonstrating its remarkable adaptation to arid environments.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Asiatic dayflowerCommelina communis
- SpiderwortTradescantia fluminensis
- Commelina diffusaCommelina diffusa
- Ohio spiderwortTradescantia ohiensis
- Commelina cyaneaCommelina cyanea
- Commelina benghalensisCommelina benghalensis
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.