Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Commelinaceae

Genus:

Tradescantia

Species:

Tradescantia gigantea

USDA Symbol:

TRGI

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

90 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

blue, purple, pink

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from roots following fire; often found in fire-maintained pine savannas and prairies of Texas.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate best with light exposure and consistent moisture after cold stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI