How to Grow and Care for Tradescantia Nanouk

You've probably seen this fashionable plant on your Instagram feed. Fantasy Venice, also known as Tradescantia Nanouk (Tradescantia albiflora 'Nanouk'), is a particular type of spiderwort plant that has become a must-have for plant lovers. Its luscious leaves have pink, white, purple, and green stripes on tall stems. It can develop as a long trailing ivy under the correct conditions, and little white and yellow flowers will emerge from its pink buds during the growing season. Tradescantia Nanouk is a fast-growing, robust plant.

This plant was created with the intention of being colorful, appealing, and simple to grow. Tradescantia Nanouk is unique among Tradescantia and Zebrina plants in that it is a patented plant that was developed in the Netherlands in 2012. 

Botanical Name: Tradescantia albiflora ‘Nanouk’. 

Common Name: Tradescantia Nanouk, Fantasy Venice

Plant Type: Perennial, trailing vine

Mature Size: 3–6 inches high, 12–24 inches long (trailing)

Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

Soil Type: Well-draining potting mix, optional vermiculite or peat moss

Soil pH: 5.0–6.5

Toxicity: Toxic to cats and dogs

 

Plant Care

Tradescantia Nanouk thrives in bright, indirect light, so a window facing north or east is ideal. Water your plant when the top inch or two of soil is dry, but don't allow it to dry out completely. Because north-facing windows receive less light than east-facing ones, your plant will require less water.

 

Because Tradescantia Nanouk grows in a humid climate, it's an excellent choice for a bathroom window, as the steam from your shower or tub will keep the air moist. You may also create a humid environment by grouping your Tradescantia Nanouk with other humidity-loving plants and using a humidifier in the vicinity. Create a humidifying tray beneath your plant as another alternative.

 

Because Tradescantia Nanouk is such a hardy plant, it doesn't need to be fertilized. During the spring and summer growing seasons, treat your plant with a normal houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength every two to four weeks.

 

Save the stem cuttings from pruning your Tradescantia Nanouk and use them to propagate new plants.

 

Best Growing Conditions for Tradescantia Nanouk

Tradescantia Nanouk thrives in temperatures as high as 75 degrees during the day, with nighttime temperatures ideally in the mid-50s. You're probably overwatering if you see yellowing leaves and rotten roots. Wilted leaves, on the other hand, could indicate that you're submerged.

 

When potting your Tradescantia Nanouk, use a regular, well-draining houseplant soil. Adding a few handfuls of perlite, orchid bark, or coarse sand to the mix will help with drainage. To protect domestic surfaces, use a pot or container with a hole in the bottom and a drainage tray.

 

Your Tradescantia Nanouk will flower during the growing season if the conditions are favorable (roughly spring through autumn). It produces small, star-shaped flowers with white, yellow, and pink highlights.

 

Types of Tradescantia Nanouk

Many distinct Tradescantia and Zebrina variations are comparable to the Tradescantia Nanouk. The wandering Jew (T. zebrina), spiderwort is commonly grown inside and in gardens, is perhaps the most common. The inch plant (T. cerinthoides), which gets its name from its tendency to "inch along" as it grows along the ground or trails downward from a hanging planter, is another popular variant.

 

The boat lily (T. spathacea) has similar hues to Tradescantia Nanouk, but instead of vine-like stems, it develops long, pointed leaves from an upright cluster. T. sillamontana, sometimes known as cobweb spiderwort and resembling nothing else in the genus, belongs to the same family. With its fuzzy, geometric-shaped leaves and vibrant purple blossoms, though, you might not think so.

T. fluminensis, sometimes known as small-leaf spiderwort, is the most similar to Tradescantia Nanouk in appearance. It is commonly planted indoors or as a ground cover. This trailing version has the same pink, white, and green colors as the upright variety, but has white flowers and leaves with more noticeable green parts.

How to Propagate Tradescantia Nanouk

Tradescantia Nanouk, like its Tradescantia and Zebrina relatives, is very easy to propagate from the tip and stem cuttings. Starting cuttings in water lets you monitor root growth, which is more convenient than starting them in soil. There are numerous ways to propagate Tradescantia Nanouk. Here's how to do it:

 

Step 1: Choose stems with a couple of sets of leaves from the mother plant. These cuttings are perfect for starting a new plant from scratch.

 

Step 2: Make a diagonal cut on the stem near the plant's base with clean, sterilized pruners. Remove the bottom leaves of the cutting, leaving a couple of sets of leaves.

Step 3: Half-fill a couple of jars with water. Fill the jars halfway with water, just below the leaves, and place the cuttings in them. Simply use a small container filled with dirt instead of water to propagate with soil.

Step 4: Keep the cuttings warm in a bright, indirect light source, but keep them out of direct sunlight. Roots should emerge from the submerged leaf nodes over the next few weeks. As needed, add extra water.

Step 5: The cuttings are ready to plant when the roots are at least 2 inches long. Fill a pot with dirt and four cuttings around the pot's edge, with a fifth cutting in the center, to form a full-looking adult plant.

Step 6: Care for your new Tradescantia Nanouk as usual.

 

Common Growing Problems With Tradescantia Nanouk

Although Tradescantia Nanouk was developed to be a low-maintenance plant, it is susceptible to common problems such as root rot and leaf color loss.

• Rotten roots

Water the soil directly to avoid getting water in the space between the leaves, which can cause the plant to rot. Waterings should be done regularly to keep the soil moist and not completely dry.

• Discoloration of leafs

Choose a location that receives bright, indirect light. Tradescantia Tradescantia Tradescantia Tradescantia Trade Nanouk plants are most likely getting insufficient sunlight. Try moving your plant from a north-facing window to the east side of your house. A sunny bathroom window is usually a good area to restore wilted plants to their former glory. While this plant can thrive in low-light conditions,

• Potting and Repotting Tradescantia Nanouk

Since this species is so vigorous, it’s a good idea to repot your plant once a year or so. Use a container one size larger than the previous pot, and fill it with fresh potting soil. Pinching new growth or cutting back your Tradescantia Nanouk will encourage it to grow fuller and bushier. Since this plant hates having soggy roots, make sure you choose a new container with holes for drainage.

 
FAQs

Is Tradescantia Nanouk Easy to Care For?

Yes, Tradescantia Nanouk is an easy-growing plant, however, you'll need to watch out for root rot (avoid getting the area between the leaves wet) and loss of leaf color (choose a growing spot with bright, indirect light).

 

How Fast Does Tradescantia Nanouk Grow?

With the right growing conditions, Tradescantia Nanouk is very fast-growing and vigorous. You'll want to repot once a year on average.

 

Can Tradescantia Nanouk Grow Indoors?

Yes. A humid environment is ideal so Tradescantia Nanouk thrives near bathroom windows or near a humidifier.