Tradescantia fluminensis
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| Tradescantia fluminensis | ||||||||||||||
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 Tradescantia fluminensis
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| Tradescantia fluminensis Vell. |
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Tradescantia albiflora |
Tradescantia fluminensis is a species of spiderwort more commonly known as Wandering Jew, a name it shares with closely related varieties T. pallida and T. zebrina. Though most often found across the United States as a garden or houseplant, in both Australia and New Zealand T. fluminensis is considered an invasive species, noxious weed, or pest plant and is consequently targeted for eradication. Forming a dense mat underneath forest tree cover (facilitated by a remarkable shade tolerance), it smothers ground-level plants and prevents the natural regeneration of taller species; if left unchecked, it can lead to the destruction of native forests. Even where the climate does not permit T. fluminensis to take root, it still can spread rapidly from being transported by animals and humans. The succulent stems break easily at the nodes and establish themselves wherever they land on moist soil. While this plant does respond to herbicides and other applied weed controls, each segment has the ability to regenerate, so it is able to make a rapid comeback, especially in soft soils where stems may remain underneath the surface. Constant deployment of weed-control agents may have a negative effect upon the local ecology, so the only option remaining is manual clearance. This is not necessarily as arduous as it may seem, since an initial clearance performed by simply raking the area will have a significant impact. With repeated efforts, each at intervals of a couple months, complete eradication is possible. Regular monitoring of invasion from neighbouring areas is indicated.
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[edit] External Links
- Standard Data Report: Tradescantia fluminensis - Integrated Taxonomic Information System
- PLANTS Profile: Tradescantia fluminensis - National Resources Conservation Service (US Department of Agriculture)
- Taxonomy Browser: Tradescantia fluminensis - National Center for Biotechnology Information (US National Institutes of Health)
- Desert Tropicals - Informational database on common gardening plants, based out of Phoenix, Arizona, USA
- Dave's Garden - Community website for home gardeners providing supplies, techniques, and discussion forums.
