For those who love stripes among hobby gardeners, zebra weed is a real gem. The tropical perennial fascinates with attractive structures and can be a beautiful and easy-care enrichment for conservatories and co., especially in hanging baskets.

The zebra herb is one of the three master flowers

Table of Contents

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  1. origin
  2. growth
  3. leaves
  4. blossoms
  5. fruit
  6. Which location is suitable?
  7. What soil does the plant need?
  8. Water zebra weed
  9. Fertilize zebra weed properly
  10. Cut zebra weed correctly
  11. Grow zebra weed
  12. diseases/pests
  13. Is zebra weed poisonous?
  14. tip
  15. sorts

    16. origin

    The zebra herb (botanically Tradescantia zebrina) is also known under the name Spiderwort or under the German generic name Tradescantia, which is actually an overgeneralization. After all, it is just one of many spider flowers (Tradescantia). The reason for this over-generalization is that of all its fellow species, it is the most popular among ornamental gardeners. This is not only due to its high ornamental value, but also to its easy-care character.

    The zebra herb originally comes from Central and South America, primarily from Mexico and Guatemala, but it can also be found further south to Panama and the Caribbean islands. There it inhabits mainly the tropical forest areas in rather lower parts of the country. It is therefore used to a warm, humid climate and rather half-shady lighting conditions, so that it can only feel comfortable with us as a houseplant all year round.

    To remember:

    • Zebra knot most popular representative of the spiderworts
    • High leaf decoration value
    • Comes from tropical forest areas of Central and South America
    • In this country it can only be cultivated in a room all year round

    growth

    The zebra herb is a slightly succulent perennial with typically long, creeping to hanging shoots. Because of you, the plant is a prime candidate for the hanging basket. The pretty striped structure and the dark, reddish-purple undersides of the leaves give it a very decorative look. Another argument in favor of hanging basket culture is that the succulent, segmented shoots when hanging are not as easy to break off if you walk close by.

    In soil culture, the shoots form a dense plant mat with their own sinkers. They are therefore also suitable, for example, as underplanting for larger conservatory plants in tubs.

    Growth characteristics in keywords:

    • Slightly succulent perennial with long, creeping or hanging shoots
    • Very suitable for hanging lights
    • Striped leaf texture
    • Forms plant mats by sinking, so can also be used as ground cover

    leaves

    The long hanging or creeping shoots are attached to the shoots without a stalk and have an oval, pointed shape of 4 to 10 centimeters in length. Their surface is slightly hairy, the underside is smooth. The decorative longitudinal stripe structure on the upper side of the leaves, which appears in elegant silvery white and bluish green, gives the zebra herb its name. The undersides stand out in dark violet. Some varieties also show a more violet striped color on the surface on the green background.

    Sheet properties at a glance:

    • Leaves sessile, oval and tapering
    • 4 to 10 cm long
    • Hairy surface, smooth underside
    • Silver-white-dark green or violet-green longitudinal stripe structure
    • Underside in dark purple

    blossoms

    If you keep a zebra herb in indoor culture in this country, you should not hope too much for flowers. They only form under very similar conditions of origin. If you can offer the perennial such proportions, it may thank you with small but pretty three-petalled pink flowers. They can appear all year round.

    Flowers at a glance:

    • Only rarely developed in the room culture
    • Small, three-leaf structure
    • color pink
    • Appear all year round

    fruit

    The small capsule fruits are of course just as rarely formed in indoor culture.

    Which location is suitable?

    Like so many indoor plants from the tropics, the zebra herb needs a bright but not full sun location. A window seat with slight shading from neighboring plants or a light curtain is best. A little gentle morning or evening sun does not harm the plant. In general, the following applies: the more variegated the variety, the brighter it should be, the greener the variety, the more shady its pitch can be.

    Practical for the plant lover: the zebra herb, like itself, feels most comfortable at normal to warm room temperatures. 20 to 24°C is ideal. In winter it needs a slight drop in temperature. A suitable hibernation quarters is a window seat in an unheated stairwell, where the temperature is around 12 to 15°C.

    In summer you can also put/hang your zebra herb outside for a certain period of time if the temperature does not deviate too much from the usual room temperature. Again, you should protect it from direct sunlight.

    Location requirement in brief:

    • Typical tropical location preferences: Bright but shady
    • Warm room temperature from 20 to 24°C
    • Slightly cooler in winter, around 12 to 15°C

    What soil does the plant need?

    The zebra weed makes no extraordinary demands on its substrate. You can use regular potting soil. As an alternative - especially for frequent travelers - hydroponics is also an option.

    Water zebra weed

    The zebra weed is used to tropical conditions - so make sure that its root ball is always well moistened. Nevertheless, waterlogging should be avoided as far as possible, because the roots can easily rot. If the root ball dries out completely, it usually doesn't matter, if the dryness is more frequent, the zebra weed complains in the form of brownish dried-up leaf edges. Like many tropical plants, the zebra herb also welcomes a lukewarm spray shower or two from the water disperser. For this and for watering, use water that is as low in lime as possible and soft.

    During the hibernation phase, limit the watering so that the soil does not dry out completely.

    Casting practice at a glance:

    • Water according to tropical origin conditions: Keep root ball continuously moist
    • Do not overwater or allow to dry out frequently
    • Spray from time to time
    • Use water that is as soft and low in lime as possible
    • Water sparingly in winter quarters

    Fertilize zebra weed properly

    The zebra herb does not have a particularly high nutrient requirement. Fertilization is appropriate at most from the second year of cultivation or after repotting. Use either commercially available green plant fertilizer, which you add to the irrigation water, or fertilizer sticks. (€4.48) You do not need to fertilize more frequently than every 4 weeks during the growing season. Don't use it at all in winter.

    To remember:

    • Nutrient requirements of zebra weed moderate
    • Only fertilize from the second year of cultivation or after repotting
    • Use liquid green plant fertilizer or fertilizer sticks
    • Only fertilize about every 4 weeks during the growing season

    Cut zebra weed correctly

    The lower leaves on the long shoots are shed with advancing age, so that the zebra weed soon withers. It doesn't look nice anymore. To promote fresh shoots and more compact growth, you can cut back such shoots in spring. Since the zebra weed is quite fast-growing, the sadly reduced sight does not last too long.

    Grow zebra weed

    A zebra herb plant can be propagated quite easily using the cuttings method. It is also a recommended alternative to the radical pruning of bald specimens. It is best to simply cut off a healthy shoot in late spring and place it in a glass of water. Roots can form from the shoot nodes after just 24 hours. All you have to do then is place the rooted shoot in a pot with potting soil and keep it regularly moist.

    Alternatively, you can put the cuttings in a moist substrate made of peat and sand. Because it roots so quickly, this variant of zebra weed is no more complex than water rooting. After about 2 to 3 weeks, the young plants can be transplanted into pots with normal potting soil and cultivated further.

    Propagation at a glance:

    • Zebra weed is easy to propagate using the cuttings method
    • Cuttings root quickly
    • Either in a moist peat-sand substrate or in a glass of water

    diseases/pests

    The zebra weed is not particularly susceptible to diseases or pests. Occasionally it can be attacked by aphids. These parasites pierce the leaves of their host plants and suck their sap. Like scale insects, they also excrete sticky honeydew, from which you can immediately recognize the infestation. If this coating is not counteracted in time, sooty mold fungi can also settle underneath. Aphids can multiply explosively, especially in warm, dry environments. Therefore, as a preventive measure, ensure regular watering and occasional overspraying.

    The best way to combat aphids is mechanically, by rinsing them off the plant with water. It is best to cut out severely damaged shoots. If the infestation is more advanced and/or more stubborn, you can also use a neem oil-based preparation.

    Is zebra weed poisonous?

    The zebra weed is not poisonous - so pet owners and parents need not do without the charming hanging perennial.
    Continue reading

    tip

    In order to prevent sparse growth prematurely, it is advisable to break out the shoot tips regularly.

    sorts

    The zebra herb is available in several different cultivars, which are particularly varied in terms of the color and structure of the leaves. In addition to single-striped versions, there are also multi-striped variants, with the colors there are one or two slightly different shades and sometimes more silver-white, sometimes more violet parts. Almost completely green varieties are also available. Here you can choose according to your personal inclination and creative combination aspects.

    Tradescantia zebrina 'Purpusii'

    As the name of the variety suggests, the leaf coloring here is concentrated on the violet parts, which are fading into pink here. Silver-white stripes are completely absent here. The underside appears in a bright, reddish violet. Overall, the leaves are slightly larger than those of its fellow varieties. The flowers, when formed, are white with a pink tinge.

    Tradescantia zebrina 'Quadricolor'

    Here, too, the name says it all: this zebra cabbage variety is four-colored and irregularly striped in purple, creamy white, green and silvery white, making it a particularly attractive eye-catcher. In order for the beautiful play of colors to express itself well, you should place or hang this variety as brightly as possible.

    Tradescantia zebrina 'Discolor'

    This variety shows a very variable striped structure with green, creamy white and pearly shimmering pink. It may appeal to all those who like disorderly play of colors in their plant oasis.

Category:

Herbs