Jade Wax Plant - 2 from California Tropicals

Tradescantia zebrina, also known as the Wandering Jew or Nanouk, is a perennial, herbaceous plant known for its attractive, zebra-patterned leaves. The plant often forms dense mats or colonies, primarily through the natural formation of sinkers. The leaves of Tradescantia zebrina are bluish-green in color and typically feature two longitudinal, silvery stripes on the surface, with the undersides presenting a deep, uniform magenta hue. The leaf sheaths are thin, translucent, and measure 8 to 12 mm in length and 5 to 8 mm in width, with the mouth being elongated and the remainder being either glabrous or slightly hairy.

The shoots of Tradescantia zebrina can be glabrous or hairy, and the stalked, parallel-veined leaves are mostly ovate in shape, measuring 4 to 10 cm in length and 1.5 to 3 cm in width, with a pointed tip and a rounded base. The upper surface of the leaves can be glabrous to mildly hairy, while the underside is hairless to averagely hairy, with ciliate margins towards the leaf base.

The structure of the flowers of Tradescantia zebrina is similar to that of other Tradescantia species, with the plant branching off thanks to new buds whose attachment starts below that of the leaf, rather than above. The flowers are typically composed of three pink petals and white sexual organs, and are arranged in groups, supported by two large, foliage-like, narrow, and ciliate bracts.

The hermaphrodite, radial-symmetrical flowers of Tradescantia zebrina are threefold, with three overgrown sepals that are 2 to 3 mm long, and three petals that are ovate-blunt, pink to purple, and 5 to 9 mm long. The six stamens are equally sized and have violet, hairy filaments. Three carpels have become a top-permanent ovary, which forms capsule fruits that contain gray-brown seeds.

The unique and attractive appearance of Tradescantia zebrina, with its zebra-patterned leaves and delicate, pink flowers, makes it a popular choice for indoor and outdoor gardens. The plant's ability to form dense, spreading mats also makes it useful for ground cover and as a trailing plant in hanging baskets or along the edges of raised beds.

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