Tradescantia cerinthoides
Common name
moss inch plant
Synonyms
Tradescantia blossfeldiana
Family
Commelinaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Monocots
Conservation status
Not applicable
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.