Species

Tradescantia cerinthoides

Common Name(s)

moss inch plant

Authority

Tradescantia cerinthoides Kunth

Family

Commelinaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

Structural Class

Monocotyledonous Herbs

Synonyms

Tradescantia blossfeldiana

Habitat

Cultivation escape. Often found near houses or close to sites of former habitation. A frequent roadside weed, often found in or near illegal garden waste dumps. Does well on dry rock faces especially on lava. Can be common along coastal cliffs

Flower Colours

Violet / Purple,White

Fruiting

Seedlings found self-establishing in a Whanganui garden in 2018, though before that, most dispersal had been assumed to be from plant fragments.

Propagation Technique

Easy - pieces of stem root freely.

Year Naturalised

1985

Origin

Brazil, Uruguay, N Argentina (Wikipedia)

Reason for Introduction

Ornamental

Reason For Introduction

Horticultural.

Life Cycle Comments

Herbaceous perennial. Mostly asexual spread (can be rather slow to establish). Seedlings found self-establishing in a Whanganui garden in 2018.  Plant is usually dispersed through careless disposal of garden waste.

Tolerances

Drought and cold tolerant once established. Can tolerate heavy shade and full sun.

This page last updated on 12 Dec 2018