Houseplant · Commelinaceae
Silver Inch Plant
Tradescantia zebrina
Give it a bright window and the odd pinch, and this trailing inch plant fills a pot in no time.
Bright indirect
64–75°F · 18–24°C
USDA 8–12
6–9 in · 15–23 cm
Overview
The silver inch plant is a fast, trailing houseplant that everyone grows for its leaves, and it's easy to see why. Each one is banded with silver and deep purple on top and flushed purple underneath. It's part of the spiderwort family and comes from Mexico down into Colombia, where it creeps along the ground, and indoors it just spills over the edge of a pot or basket and keeps on going.
The best part? It's almost impossible to kill. The stems grow quickly, root wherever they land on soil, and bounce right back after a hard trim. The one thing it really wants is good light, because the purple and silver fade to plain green if you leave it in a dark corner.
Quick word on the name, though. The old common name goes back to an antisemitic legend and is now widely dropped in favor of inch plant, silver inch plant, or wandering dude, which is what most growers and references call it these days.
Care
The short version: keep it in bright indirect light for strong color, water once the soil surface dries and ease off in winter, and pinch the tips often so it stays full instead of leggy.
Light
For the best color, give it bright indirect light, plus a bit of direct morning sun if that's doable. It'll hang on in low light, sure, but the purple and silver fade to plain green and the stems stretch out and go leggy.
Water
Water it well while it's growing, then let the soil surface dry before the next drink, and ease off through fall and winter. Just don't leave it sitting in soggy soil, because that's the fastest way to rot the roots and stems.
Soil
A well-drained peaty or loam and sand mix in a pot with drainage holes does the trick. It's not picky about pH either, and it's happy anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0, acidic all the way to alkaline.
Temperature
Normal room warmth is perfect, ideally 64°F to 75°F (18°C to 24°C). Just keep it clear of cold drafts and chilly windowsills once winter rolls in.
Humidity
Average household humidity is plenty, so there's no number to worry about. That said, if your air's really dry, a small bump in humidity keeps the leaf tips from browning.
Feeding
Feed it monthly with a balanced houseplant fertilizer through spring and summer while it's actively growing. Then stop feeding in fall and winter once things slow down.
Pruning
Pinch the stem tips often to keep it dense and bushy and to stop it going leggy. And here's the fun part: the bits you pinch off root easily, so you can drop them right back in the pot.
Repotting
Repot it every 1 to 2 years, or whenever it outgrows the pot, since it grows fast. Keep an eye out for roots circling the pot or poking through the drainage holes, leggy growth even with good care, or soil that dries out almost the second you water it.
Size & spacing
It stays pretty short at 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) tall, but it spreads and trails to 12 to 24 inches (30 to 61 cm) across. So give it a shelf or a hanging basket where the stems have room to tumble down.
Troubleshooting
Almost every inch plant problem comes down to light or water, honestly. Faded color and stretched stems? It wants more light. Soft, mushy stems? It's sitting too wet. Find yours in the list below and sort it out early.
Soft, mushy brown stems and a plant that flops
This one's serious, so catch it early. It's root and stem rot from soil that stays too wet, and it can bring a plant down fast. You'll spot soft, dark stem bases, soil that just won't dry, and sometimes a nasty smell. Cut away every mushy bit, re-root the healthy cuttings in fresh, well-drained mix, and bin the soggy soil along with anything too far gone to rescue.
Fix:
- Cut away all rotted tissue
- Take healthy cuttings and re-root them in fresh, well-drained mix
- Discard severely rotted plants and waterlogged soil
Webbing, sticky spots, or warped yellow leaves
A few little bugs like this plant, and they're not hard to sort out. Spider mites leave fine webbing, aphids gather in soft little clusters, and mealybugs look like white cottony fluff on the stems and leaf undersides. Rinse or wipe the leaves to knock them off, then hit them with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil and keep at it until they're gone. Oh, and pull the plant away from your others so the bugs don't hop over.
Fix:
- Rinse or wipe down foliage to dislodge pests
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil and repeat as needed
- Isolate the plant to prevent spread
Stripes going green and stems stretching out
Wondering why the color faded? It's not getting enough light. Park it somewhere dim and the purple and silver wash out to green while the stems reach for the window with big gaps between the leaves. Just shift it to a bright spot with indirect sun, or a little morning light, and pinch those stretched stems so the compact, colorful growth comes right back.
Fix:
- Move to a brighter spot with bright indirect light or some direct sun
- Pinch back stretched stems to encourage compact, colorful new growth
Long bare stems with leaves only up top
Skip the pinching and an older plant just gets leggy, with skinny stems that trail leaves at the ends and a bare, woody base. So cut those bare stems back hard, and the plant branches out fresh lower down. Don't toss the healthy tips you snipped off, though. Root them and tuck them back in the same pot, and you'll end up with a fuller plant.
Fix:
- Pinch or cut back leggy stems to force branching
- Propagate the healthy tip cuttings to refill the pot for a fuller plant
Crispy brown tips and edges on the leaves
See the very tips and edges turning brown and brittle while the rest of the leaf looks fine? That's usually dry roots or dry air. Give it a good soak and get back on a steady watering routine so the soil doesn't bake bone dry for long. And if your room's really dry, nudging the humidity up a bit helps too.
Fix:
- Water thoroughly and resume a consistent watering routine
- Increase ambient humidity if air is very dry
Toxicity
Good news first: this is a mild irritant, not a serious poison. Still, it's worth a bit of care, because the sap irritates skin and can leave people and pets red and itchy where they brush against it, and a pet that chews a leaf might get a slightly upset stomach. So wear gloves when you prune it, and keep the trailing stems away from anything that likes to chew.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Mild
If a cat rubs up against a dangling stem, the sap can leave a red, itchy patch behind. And if it nibbles a leaf? Expect a bit of drooling and a slightly grumpy tummy, but nothing scary.
Dogs Mild
A dog pushing through the foliage can wind up with red, irritated skin, and chewing a stem brings on some drool and a touch of stomach upset. It's usually no big deal, but a real chewer is better off kept away from it.
Horses Mild
Horses are on the ASPCA's dermatitis list for this one, so if the sap touches their skin it can leave it red and sore.
Rabbits Caution
That same sap that annoys cats and dogs? It makes this a bad idea for a rabbit too. Keep it well out of reach instead of risking a sore mouth or an upset gut.
Livestock Caution
A grazing animal isn't likely to bump into a houseplant, but the irritant sap would still bug a goat or sheep that took a bite, so it's one to steer clear of.
Birds Caution
There isn't much solid info on birds, and since the sap irritates, caution's the smart call. Just keep a pet bird from pecking at or tearing up the leaves.
People Caution
The sap's a known skin irritant, so handling the plant or taking cuttings can leave your hands red and itchy. Pop on some gloves before you prune, wash up after, and keep little kids from chewing the leaves.
Wear gloves when taking cuttings or handling extensively, as the sap can irritate skin; wash hands after contact
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Besides the usual striped species, a couple of selections pop up pretty often and are handy to know by name.
'Burgundy'
This one skips the stripes and goes for deep, dark purple leaves that look their richest when you keep it in bright light.
'Quadricolor'
Its leaves show off four colors at once, streaked with pink, purple, silver, and green, so it's a lot showier than the plain species.
How to propagate
Want more of these? You're in luck, because this might be the easiest houseplant around to multiply, since just about any piece you cut will root.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Any time during active growth · Roots in 1-2 weeks
Honestly, does it get any easier than this? While the plant's growing, just snip off a stem or a tip, stick it in water or press it into moist soil, and it roots in 1 to 2 weeks. The stems are so keen that they'll even root by themselves at any node that's resting on damp soil.
Myths
The old common name is just a harmless bit of tradition.
Not really, since that name goes back to an antisemitic legend and now reads as an ethnic slur. That's why extension services and plant references have mostly switched to inch plant, silver inch plant, or wandering dude, and those are the ones you'll want to use too.
The inch plant is totally safe for pets and people.
Not quite, because the ASPCA lists it as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, where the sap causes dermatitis. That sap can leave your skin red and irritated too, and a pet that chews it gets a mild mouth and stomach upset. It's a mild irritant, not a deadly poison, so no need to panic, but it isn't the harmless plant it's often made out to be.