Tradescantia

 

 

This is probably Tradescantia virginiana, known to many as wandering jew.There are many types of wandering jew, and even if you are not a plant aficionado most people are able to recognize a few kinds. The purple variety planted commonly now as a perennial ground cover is called Purple Heart, and there are many kinds that are planted in hanging baskets. Many of these hanging baskets can withstand the winter out of doors in the basket and come back the next year. Who would guess this succulent easily broken plant would be so hardy? So when you put your plants in for the winter, don't allocate precious space to jew because it can take care of itself.
The first picture of the white tradescantia was given to me as a cutting by Mary and Guf. They had a plant of it growing by the patio and I admired it. While they were hunting a shovel, I took several cuttings and was on my way. Tradescantia root so easily, there is never a need to dig them. The white variety may be common but I had never seen it before.
The second picture of the purple one has been in the same place in my yard for quite a few years. I originally noticed it when it was much smaller and started mowing around it, and it has certainly thrived and increased in girth (sort of like me) I am thinking of rooting several and making an entire flower area devoted to these two colors. They certainly would require minimum care and bloom early to late, literally for months. They grow in a variety of environments from shade to sun, and are not fussy about poor soil.
The other interesting thing about Tradescantia is its use as a bioassay.There are not many good bioassays and they have stopped using canaries in coal mines. Some of these plants have blue stamen hairs (not the stamen itself, or the pollen) and when the plant is exposed to ionizing radiation (like gamma rays -x-rays), the cells mutate and turn from blue to pink. I remember hearing this a number of years ago and believe it was discovered by accident in a lab where gamma rays were in use.