Wandering Jew

The gardening world has many examples where a single common name is slapped on more than one plant species, and such is the case with the houseplant we know as wandering Jew. This name is used for several different plant species within the Tradescantia genus. This genus includes at least 75 different herbaceous perennial species, including some regarded as noxious weeds, some as prized outdoor garden plants (the garden spiderworts), and three of them are as widely used mostly as indoor houseplants. These are the ones generally known as wandering Jew plants. The common name is thought to derive from the plant’s habit to migrate to wet, moist regions. Like the garden varieties of Tradescantia, the houseplant varieties have flowers with three petals, although they are not particularly showy in these species. Blooms are white, pink, or purple, depending on species and variety, and appear regularly.