Tradescantia HubNov 18, 2022

Welcome new mastodon people! I've never actually done an #introduction so here I go.

I'm the International Cultivar Registration Authority for the #Tradescantia genus, which means I research the correct names of all tradescantia cultivars in the world.

I have a living collection of tradescantias and other Commelinaceae plants which I study, and sell cuttings to fund my research.

Ask me to identify your tradescantia plant!

https://tradescantia.uk

@plants @houseplants #plants #houseplants

Tradescantia Hub • Centre for cultivar research and info

Find out about identifying cultivars, registering new types, plant collecting, care, and research about the Commelinaceae family.

Tradescantia Hub • Centre for tradescantia cultivars and information
Show threadcohanNov 22, 2022
@TradescantiaHub @plants @houseplants
very cool! Do you grow only cultivars (are they generally hybrids or mostly sports?) or do you grow species also?
Show threadTradescantia HubNov 22, 2022
@cohanf @plants @houseplants I grow pretty much exclusively cultivars. I have a handful of species which I keep as backups for my friend's species collection, but I'll admit they're not my favourites! 😅
Show threadTradescantia HubNov 22, 2022

@cohanf @plants @houseplants

The genus is divided pretty sharply into two groups - frost-hardy garden perennials grown for their flowers (mostly the Andersoniana Group), and tender tropicals grown for foliage.

The hardy types hybridise very easily and most of those cultivars are from seeds (selective breeding or volunteers). But the tropical types tend to be much less fertile in household conditions and seedlings are rare - so most tropical cultivars arise from sports or wild collections.

Show threadspamchopNov 22, 2022
@TradescantiaHub @cohanf @plants @houseplants Hello.
How tender are the tenders?
I'm asking as a gardener in urban Cambridge, where my echiums come through unprotected.
We do get a half dozen or so sub-0 nights but have areas of the garden which don't frost.
Show threadTradescantia Hub

@spamchop @cohanf @plants @houseplants It's different for different species, and I don't have completely info about them all (yet)!

I can say that I had a T. zebrina in an unheated porch last winter which got down to 0 but not below, and it survived fine.

I've also heard lots of people say that T. pallida, T. sillamontana, and T. 'Maiden's Blush' can all survive freezing - the foliage dies off but grows back in spring.

Nov 22, 2022 at 5:45pmWeb
Show threadTradescantia HubNov 22, 2022
@spamchop @cohanf @plants @houseplants I'd always suggest trying out your specific plants in your specific conditions, since it's always difficult to generalise or predict. Just make sure to keep a backup indoors in case it doesn't survive winter outside!
Show threadspamchopNov 22, 2022
@TradescantiaHub @cohanf @plants @houseplants thank you :) I'll have a play!
Show threadcohanNov 22, 2022
@TradescantiaHub @spamchop @plants @houseplants I know I saw a lot of pallida ( I think) growing outdoors in Miami-- they don't get much frost there, but I imagine occasionally..