Ouch.. (Tradescantis fluminensis)

stephenprudence

Ouch.. (Tradescantis fluminensis)

Post by stephenprudence »

I have Tradescantis fluminensis, it's out of control. Does anyone else have problems with Tradescantia? I assumed it was a tropical plant and would not cause problems here, however after planting some last year, and having to cut it back last winter, I find myself shearing it back once again this summer, but also seedlings popping up all over the show. This species is truly a noxious weed.. It reminds me a bit of Japanese knotweed, covering anything, climbing on anything in it's way.. crazy crazy plant... even if it dig it up, it will return in some other form. Has anyone had this?
billdango

Re: Ouch..

Post by billdango »

I have got loads of this plant in my back garden and also it grows by my side entrance wall on the outside in the sun.

It does make an interesting ground cover and i will keep it in my garden permanetly plus it also has nice white flowers in the summer months.

billdango :D
stephenprudence

Re: Ouch..

Post by stephenprudence »

I doubt you have a choice but to keep it permanently in the back garden. :lol: It's nice I agree but I think it's a little too happy in our climate.
cordyman

Re: Ouch..

Post by cordyman »

Any pics of it in your garden Steve? :shock:
Conifers
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Re: Ouch..

Post by Conifers »

Seems it has a reputation for being an invasive thug. Even tiny bits left behind will root and regrow. I'd guess your best hope is for a hard winter with severe frost :lol:
flounder

Re: Ouch..

Post by flounder »

There's a few 'house plants' that will run amok if left unchecked by a dodgy winter. I had chlorophytum comosum (spider plant green type) making an attempt to cover the garden in the early to mid eighties. I think it was the prolonged snows of '87 or there abouts that managed to wipe it out.
I've now got a mega trailing sedum which was brought back from some Mediterranean place that refuses to die in winter. I don't mind though, it looks amazing in baskets and tumbling from large planters. It's probably lineare or sarmentosum so I've seriously misjudged its hardiness which is down to minus plenty :roll:
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JoelR
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Re: Ouch..

Post by JoelR »

I have some planted out this year. Didn't think it might survive though. Are the variegated forms as tough as the plain green?
kata

Re: Ouch..

Post by kata »

Flounder,

Wiki says; 'Sedum lineare also known as carpet sedum, needle stonecrop or sea urchin, is a sedum originating in East Asia.

It has been proposed as an ideal plant for the "greening" of flat-roofed buildings in Shanghai, China, due to factors such as its ability to tolerate cold and drought, little need for soil and its roots' lack of penetrating ability.

Get yours sold on Ebay:

http://www.kernock.co.uk/acatalog/Sedum ... -U804.html

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otorongo
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Re: Ouch..

Post by otorongo »

Plantfiles list it as hardy to 10a? And RHS says it's H1 (or whatever) - heated greenhouse. So how come it's invasive?

Is it that frost kills the top, but it comes back from the roots? Or does it stay evergreen in our winters?
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Re: Ouch..

Post by Dave Brown »

I have this Tradescantia growing here and there and like Bill think of it as a useful ground cover. I don't shear if it gets too full of itself, instead just grab and pull handfuls off. To me this covering the ground is far better than the weeds that would grow if it wasn't there. I am in a drier climate than you Stephen so maybe it is a bit slower here.

The purple/silver form is very attractive but less hardy so dies out. Best one for here is Blushing Bride with pink and white variegation.
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Re: Ouch..

Post by Dave Brown »

otorongo wrote:
Is it that frost kills the top, but it comes back from the roots? Or does it stay evergreen in our winters?
The stems are quite tough and resprout, but is evergreen in sheltered placed here to -6C. Against the front wall of the bungalow, in the full force of the NEwind with windchill to -12.7C last March, it didn't completely die back.
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stephenprudence

Re: Ouch.. (Tradescantis fluminensis)

Post by stephenprudence »

It was evergreen last winter. I actually got three of these.. the purple variety which is much much slower growing, but came back fine (herbaceously), this green fluminensis which well, you know.. and the variegated one which either rotted or died in the winter. What's happened I think is that my dad put it in a banging basket in Spring, but in doing so little bits fell everywhere, in stone guttering, in pots of other plants etc etc and it's taken very well. It's been quite dry here this year, but we always keep a bit of moisture in the soil, except times when there is excessive drought.
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Re: Ouch.. (Tradescantis fluminensis)

Post by Dave Brown »

The green and the green/yellow variegated are the same. All green ones suddenly go all stripey on new growth, and if you break bits off you have whole variegated plants :wink:
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stephenprudence

Re: Ouch.. (Tradescantis fluminensis)

Post by stephenprudence »

I think I would have preferred stripey ones, although they weren't transplanted. It's all fun, wonder how they will tolerate it all this year! Hopefully a big frost will kill a lot of it back (without damaging other stuff)
Clive60

Re: Ouch.. (Tradescantis fluminensis)

Post by Clive60 »

While weeding the onions in my small veg patch I noticed a piece of Tradescantia Blossfeldiana growing, where it came from I haven't a clue. Is it as 'hardy' as Fluminensis?
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