Okay, so I’ve been getting into houseplants lately, and one that caught my eye was the Wandering Jew, or Tradescantia zebrina, as the fancy folks call it. Beautiful purple and silver stripes, right? But I kept seeing conflicting stuff online about how much light they need. Some people said “bright, indirect light!” Others were like, “Nah, they can handle low light.” So, I decided to do my own little experiment.
My Wandering Jew Lighting Experiment
First, I got two cuttings of the same Wandering Jew plant. I wanted to make sure they were as similar as possible to start with.
Then I potted them in identical pots with the same kind of potting mix. I’m not a soil expert, so I just used the regular stuff I had for my other plants.
- Plant #1: I placed this one on my east-facing windowsill. It got good, bright light in the morning, but nothing too harsh.
- Plant #2: This one I put in a shadier spot, further away from any window. It still got some light, but definitely way less than the first one.
I watered them the same, whenever the top inch or so of soil felt dry. And I watched. Like, really watched.
After a couple of weeks, I started to notice some differences. The Wandering Jew on the windowsill (Plant #1) was growing like crazy! It was getting bushier, the colors were super vibrant, and it even started to trail down the side of the pot.
Plant #2, in the low-light spot? Not so much. It was still alive, but it was definitely growing slower. The leaves were a bit smaller, and the colors weren’t as intense. It also looked a little…leggy, like it was stretching towards the light.
The Verdict: More Light, More Happy!
So, my super-scientific, not-at-all-official conclusion is that Wandering Jews definitely prefer more light. While they might survive in low light, they really thrive when they get a good dose of bright, indirect sunlight. My windowsill plant is proof of that!
If you’re seeing your Wandering Jew looking a little sad and faded, try moving it to a brighter spot. You might be surprised at how much it perks up!
