Tradescantia zebrina : varieties, cultivars, hybrids

Tradescantia zebrina var. purpusii: the true purpusii does not have stripes,
like the rest of the zebrinas'.

In this article you will read my current personal understanding after collecting and studying Commelinaceae plants since 2010. This is an effort all zebrina cultivars and their synonymous cultivar names to be listed in one page, for easy reference. I thought that with my amateur to intermediate knowledge about botanical latin I can contribute something more into the existing knowledge of this rapidly growing and expanding family of plants: Commelinaceae, which includes plants that many of them grow as weeds and they easily cross breed with each other.

This article is about the Tradescantia zebrina varieties, cultivars and hybrids. There will be more coming soon for other Tradescantia plants and other plants in the Commelinaceae family.

created: Oct. 30, 2020
updated: Mar. 9, 2022

Notes & Terminology

1a) variety/var. (varietas in Latin): Most Commelinaceae plants are easily crossed to each other and from that crossing new varieties may appear. According to the International botanical nomenclature, a naturally occuring variety is denoted with the denomination var. whilst the taxon name is written with the first letter of the genus capitalized and the rest with small letters. Plus it is written in italics except the var. denomination. Example: Tradescantia zebrina var. flocculosa.

1b) form/f. (forma in Latin): In botanical nomenclature, a form (forma, plural formae) is one of the "secondary" taxonomic ranks, below that of variety, which in turn is below that of species; it is an infraspecific taxon^[1]. Variety differs from form/forma in that a variety implies predictable inheritable traits where form/forma traits occur sporadically within a population.

1c) cv./cultivar: a cultivar (or cv. or horticultural variety) is a cultivated variety that originated after human intervention. The names of cultivars are quoted using single quotes '. . .' and the first letter of each name is capitalized. Example: Murdannia ‘Bright Star’. Murdannia ‘Bright Star’ is a horticultural cultivar with unique characteristics that can only be found combined in that specific cultivar. In the past the denomination cv. used to be included in the name ie: Murdannia cv. ‘Bright Star’ but that is currently not accepted. See also the article about the disambiguation of this taxon.

1d) hybrid: hybrid plants are usually sterile and propagated only through cuttings or tissue culture (TC), not by seed. An example of this might be the Tradescantia ‘Bermudensis’ (also known as Tradescantia 'Hawaiian Dwarf') which is a dwarf cultivar originating from the Tradescantia spathacea plant. After many decades since this plant was circulated all over the world there were nowhere flowers to be seen. Only recently have appeared on the internet, three-four images with flowers. Which makes me think that there might exist more than one variegated Tradescantia spathacea plants with white variegation (reminding also the Tradescantia spathacea 'Sitara' which also has white variegation, but it doesn't stay small). Since flowering photos were never released before, it might be the case that the Tradescantia ‘Bermudensis’ is actually a hybrid (remember: a hybrid is sterile, which only can be propagated through cuttings and TC). One plant - in this case Tradescantia spathacea - may have more than one variegated varieties, such as the case with Callisia fragrans ‘Infinity’ and Callisia fragrans ‘Melnikoff’, two seemingly similar cultivars, but they are in fact different.

2) Color changing: Most plants in the Commelinaceae family do change color according to various factors such as: season, temperature, light, location. Thus, two seemingly identical cuttings/plants may come from different cultivars, that have been grown in different conditions and/or kept in different locations (that relates to light levels). An example of this are the T. zebrina ‘Burgundy’ and T. zebrina ‘Deep Purple’. When kept in bright light their colors will be that of each equivalent cultivar (burgundy color for the first and dark purple [almost black] for the second). But when these plants are kept in a location with less bright light their colors tend to look similar and sometimes may even confuse the experts. So keep always that in mind. That is why it’s important to buy from experienced sellers that have both cultivars and have labeled them correctly, in order to avoid confusion.

3) Old names still in use: old synonyms of both genus and species (some of them even from the 19th century) are unfortunately still in use today, bringing more confusion on these matters. Some of them are: pendula, setcreasea, rhoeo. You can find all the synonyms of all the genera in the Commelinaceae family in the page: Commelinaceae Genera and their Genders.

4) N/A: placed at the end of the description means that I didn’t have a personal experience with the specific plant variety/cultivar/hybrid.

Tradescantia zebrina - table listing the different names of varieties, cultivars, hybrids
Tradescantia pendula ‘Purple Milano’	T. pendula is a synonym for T. zebrina var. zebrina. The (vivid) colors are fading from green to purple on each leaf. (N/A).
T. zebrina (thick-leaf; unnamed)	This zebrina has very thick leaves. (N/A).
T. zebrina ‘Blue Boy’ photo credits: Madelyn Maddox Purcell	Probably another name for 'Red Gem'/'Giant'. (N/A).
T. zebrina ‘Burgundy’	A zebrina with burgundy/vivid magenta leaves (depending on the light and temperature). It's a widely colorful variety, changing from deep burgundy to vivid magenta according to light, season, temperatures. It resembles a lot 'Red Gem' but the colors of that cannot turn vivid magenta (like those of the 'Burgundy' when exposed to morning sunlight).
T. zebrina var. zebrina variegata 'Danny Lee'	This is a new variegated zebrina cultivar. The colors resemble those of the T. zebrina var. discolor 'Multicolor' but they are more pastel and less variable. Specific unique features of this variegated Tradescantia zebrina are hairy leaves & tubercles (tiny bumps on the surface of the leaves) that it why the name 'Silver Notches' first proposed[2]. But the cultivar name that was established was finally 'Danny Lee'. The technical name for this variety is Tradescantia zebrina var. zebrina variegata forma III, describing the third known variegated Tradescantia zebrina cultivar.
T. zebrina ‘Dark Desire’	Mostly used in the US; it’s another name for T. zebrina ‘Burgundy’.
T. zebrina ‘Deep Purple’	The colors of this cultivar are amazing. It has dark magenta stripes on dark - almost black - purple. When this and 'Red Gem' are sun-stressed they look somehow similar to each other, but the colors of  'Red Gem' are much less intense. There were appeared cultivars that look similar ('Red Jewel'; 'Jewel Red'; Purple Joy') but they were treated with PGRs and their vivid colors wear off after some weeks.
T. zebrina ‘Evanesce’	A new zebrina cultivar: Tradescantia zebrina 'Evanesce'; evanesce: to dissipate like vapor. The purple color fades from the new leaves as they age. A very unique T. zebrina.  It makes stripes similar to the zebrina from Tikal (see below). It has hairy leaves, and it does have notches in its silver stripes, like 'Danny Lee' has, but there are no tubercles on the surface of the leaves[2].
T. zebrina var. discolor	This is a reverted Tradescantia zebrina var. discolor 'Multicolor'. From what I know it's the same with T. zebrina ‘Quicksilver’.
T. zebrina var. discolor 'Multicolor’ or T. zebrina var. zebrina variegata forma I	This is a multicolored variety with highly variable foliage. This is perhaps the most variable in color zebrina. Many confuse it with the 'Quadricolor' but they have differences. This cultivar doesn't develop those dark purple - almost black - stripes like the 'Quadricolor' does. Also, when this cultivar revertes (when kept in low light) the variegation is gone. Whilst on the 'Quadricolor' it may return, is not lost. The technical name for this variety is Tradescantia zebrina var. zebrina variegata forma I, describing the first known variegated Tradescantia zebrina cultivar.
T. zebrina ‘Flame Dance’	N/A. This is a discolor variety with random tiny silver flecks on the upper side of the leaves.
T. zebrina ‘Giant’	Synonym for T. zebrina 'Red Gem'; this cultivar name is mostly used in the States[2].
T. zebrina ‘Little Hill’	This zebrina has smaller leaves. Possibly these are plants that were treated with PGRs, as I have heard that after some weeks, the leaves grow normally again, resembling those of the 'Silver Sicilian' cultivar. (N/A).
T. zebrina var. discolor ‘Mme Lequesne’	This is a discolor variety with large wide leaves and a broken pattern on the stripes (hence the discolor characteristic).
T. zebrina ‘Purple Joy’	Unofficial cultivar name for Tradescantia zebrina 'Burgundy' plants that were treated with PGRs. At first they look very similar to the Tradescantia zebrina 'Deep Purple' but when after some weeks the chemicals wear off from the plant, all that deep purple/black color is gone and what is left is a Tradescantia zebrina 'Burgundy'.
T. zebrina ‘Purple Passion’	Yet another name for an already existing zebrina cultivar: Tradescantia zebrina 'Burgundy'.
T. zebrina ‘Purple Tinge’	The colors have a rather salmon-like tinge and they are fading from green to purple on each leaf. The leaves that are on the tip of the stems have that 'Purple Tinge' fading to green further down the stems. (N/A).
T. zebrina ‘Quadricolor’ or T. zebrina var. zebrina variegata forma II	This is one of the most unique of all T. zebrinas and one of the three variegated ones, with 4 colors (hence the name: quadri (means four) + color. Another unique characteristic of this zebrina - found only among very few variegated plants - is that the variegation is not lost! If a branch reverts back to green, then when this same branch exposed in bright light it will develop again variegation! The technical name for this variety is Tradescantia zebrina var. zebrina variegata forma II, describing the second known variegated Tradescantia zebrina cultivar.
T. zebrina ‘Quicksilver’	This is a discolor variety. The leaves have tiny silver flecks. From what I know it's the same with T. zebrina ‘Discolor’.
T. zebrina ‘Red Gem’	The true 'Red Gem' can be easily distinguished from 'Burgundy' when both are kept on a location with adequate light. The stripes of 'Red Gem' are magenta and the rest of the leaf is green. 'Burgundy' has silvery-green stripes and the rest of the leaf is dark burgundy. The leaves of this zebrina are also bigger. When sun-stressed, it looks similar to T. zebrina 'Deep Purple'. Another cultivar name for this one is T. zebrina 'Giant', mostly used in the States.
T. zebrina ‘Red Jewel’	A 'Burgundy' that was treated with PGRs. When the chemicals fade away, the plant grows normally again as a T. zebrina 'Burgundy'.
T. zebrina ‘Silver Notches’	This cultivar name is now used to describe the variegated T. zebrina 'Danny Lee'.
T. zebrina ‘Silver Sicilian’	This zebrina is similar to the 'Silver Plus' but there are differences on the upper structure of the leaf. 'Silver Sicilian' has tubercles towards the base of the leaf, whilst 'Silver Plus' has smooth leaves.
T. zebrina ‘Silver Plus’	This zebrina is similar to the 'Silver Sicilian' but there are differences on the upper structure of the leaf. 'Silver Plus' has smooth structure towards the base of the leaf, lacking the tubercles that 'Silver Sicilian' has. (N/A).
T. zebrina ‘Violet Hill’	Possibly a synonym for 'Silver Plus'. (N/A).
T. zebrina var. flocculosa	This zebrina resembles somewhat to the T. sillamontana with cobweb-like hairs on the leaves, but the flowers are blue/indigo color, whereas the flowers of T. sillamontana are magenta. (N/A).
T. zebrina var. mollipila	A naturally occurring zebrina variety with naturally variegated leaves. On this variety the - typical double zebrina - stripes are light silver/green/gray and there's also a single purple stripe running from the base of the petiole to the tip of the leaf. The magenta margins on each leaf gives to this natural variety an amazing contrast of colors! (N/A).
T. zebrina var. mollipila ‘Purple Plush’	This is a cultivated variety of the T. zebrina var. mollipila, with beautiful burgundy/brown/purple stripes on the upper side of the leaves, something totally missing from the original natural variety. These purple stripes may disappear when the plant is exposed in very intense or in low light, but they will appear again in normal growing conditions.
T. zebrina var. purpusii	The true purpusii does not have stripes like the rest of the zebrinas. The colors of the leaves are brown/red to light magenta (depending on the light, location, season and temperatures). On a location with less bright light the colors may turn greener, starting from the center of the leaf. But when exposed to normal light conditions, the natural colors of this variety will return. There's also the cultivar name 'Purpusii' (Tradescantia zebrina 'Purpusii') but it's actually a discolored zebrina with faint stripes and not the true purpusii.
T. zebrina var. tikal	This is a naturally occuring variety near Tikal, Mexico. It resembles somewhat to the mollipila 'Purple Plush' but the leaves are larger, less round, mostly in arrow-shape, with vivid purple stripes on both sides of the leaf . This natural zebrina variety was rescued from its natural habitat in Mexico, but it carries a kind of bacterial infection. This infection doesn't seem to be contagious, but during low temperatures the plant loses its colors and it grows slower (mostly green) with a few (the typical zebrina) stripes. When exposed again to the higher temperatures in summer, it appears to grow normal again. At the moment, experienced Commelinaceae collectors have not managed to determine (and reverse) the course of that viral infection. TS (Tissue Culture) might be an option to try and clear this natural variety from that viral - yet harmless - infection.
T. zebrina var. zebrina	The common wild forma; mainly green foliage with silver/lighter green stripes.

This article will be updated whenever more information is available.

Check also the: Cultivar index / finder page
where all Commelinaceae cultivars will be gathered there.

References:

1. McNeill, J.; Barrie, F.R.; Buck, W.R.; Demoulin, V.; Greuter, W.; Hawksworth, D.L.; Herendeen, P.S.; Knapp, S.; Marhold, K.; Prado, J.; Prud'homme Van Reine, W.F.; Smith, G.F.; Wiersema, J.H.; Turland, N.J. (2012). International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code) adopted by the Eighteenth International Botanical Congress Melbourne, Australia, July 2011. Regnum Vegetabile 154. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag KG. ISBN 978-3-87429-425-6. Chapter I. Article 4

2. communication with Commelinaceae expert and collector Erica Jane.

. labels: tradescantia zebrina varieties, cultivars, hybrids, mapping tradescantia zebrina