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Help identifying a plant

nickjclarknickjclark Posts: 4
edited October 2018 in Plants
Can anyone help identify this plant which  I came across in southern Italy?

Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    They they look like Tradescantia Pallida Purpurea. 
  • nickjclarknickjclark Posts: 4
    Great. Thank you Borderline!
    I've just searched that name via google images and it looks spot on.
    I also notice it goes by the names of 'Purple Heart' and 'Wandering Jew".
    These plants were all over Otranto in Italy.
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    I have seen these plants grown in the ground in sheltered gardens nowadays. They’re frost hardy and in warm summers they flower for a long time. They are usually used in hanging baskets or containers. 
  • nickjclarknickjclark Posts: 4
    edited October 2018
    I'm looking forward to ordering a couple. Worth knowing they're frost hardy too.
  • Jungle JaneJungle Jane Posts: 21
    Yes, definately Tradescantia. I am currently growing some 25 varieties (but there are many more varieties) with a colour range from cream to green to purple. Also the leave vary emormously from very petite and smooth  to large and hairy. They are a good indoor plant for the uk and can be very effective grown in hanging baskets in the summer time. They are fabulous when the light catches the leaves from behind on a north facing window. They propagate easily by just breaking a peice off and sticking it in the growing media. They do not like direct sun but they will thrive in a partially shaded area. If they get too much sun, they will loose leafe colour and begin to look a bit wishy washy, but as soon as you put them in partical shade they recover quite quickly. Keep nipping the ends off to promote bushy growth and use what you have nipped out to create more plants.
  • nickjclarknickjclark Posts: 4
    Thanks Jungle Jane - some great tips here! I was wondering if you knew which variety of Tradescantia is shown in my photograph?
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    edited October 2018
    Borderline was spot on...Tradescantia pallida purpurea.

    https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Tradescantia+Pallida+Purpurea&rlz=1C1CHBF_enGB785GB785&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjh_97q8fbdAhVRsaQKHVF3AMUQ_AUIDigB&biw=1920&bih=938

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradescantia_pallida#/media/File:Purple_heart_leaf.jpg
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • Jungle JaneJungle Jane Posts: 21
    Looks very much like 'Purple Sabre', fantastic colour when the light is behind it.
  • charlesclark1567charlesclark1567 Posts: 4
    They are Tradescantia Pallida Purpurea plant.

  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    edited November 2018
    Jungle Jane said:
    Looks very much like 'Purple Sabre', fantastic colour when the light is behind it.
    J.J.......Tradescantia Purple Sabre..... is just another name for Tradescantia pallida purpurea...see link below.


    Quote from above.....
    Alternative Names:

    syn. T. pallida 'Purpurea' or Setcreasea 'Purple Heart'

    Narrative Description:

    Not a completely new variety, but brought a new lease of life. This Tradescantia has fairly succulent, large, broad, purple leaves with pink flowers emerging in summer.


    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
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