Tradescantia Nanouk: Fantasy Venice Plant Care

What is a Tradescantia Nanouk?

Tradescantia nanouk (botanical name: Tradescantia albiflora ‘Nanouk’) is an indoor Wandering Jew plant featuring fuzzy foliage, chunky stems, and an overall sturdy shape.

Commonly known as the “Fantasy Venice Plant,” or Nanouk Spiderwort, this fashionable plant was created in the Netherlands in 2012.

If you’re curious, the US patent the breeders filed is PP29711.

Ultimately, the Nanouk Spiderwort was a creation of a plant breeding program that aimed to develop a smaller and more compact type of Tradescantia that would produce impressive flowers while also providing highly dependable performance.

Fantasy Venice plants feature multi-colored leaves that are green, greyed-green, and light or bold purple.

Another Tradescantia species that the Tradescantia nanouk is usually compared to is the Tradescantia spathacea ‘Tricolor’.

However, the major difference between these two Tradescantia plants is the shape of their leaves.

The Tradescantia nanouk has a more rounded leaf as compared with the Tradescantia tricolor.

The plant reaches a manageable height and width of under 3 to 4 inches.

How to Care for Tradescantia Nanouk

If you’re looking for an easy-care houseplant, Tradescantia nanouk (also known as Fantasy Venice plant) is a great option.

This succulent plant is tolerant to a wide range of conditions, making it a good choice for beginners.

Below are a few tips on how to care for your Tradescantia nanouk:

Temperature

Tradescantia Nanouk should be placed in areas that are warmer than 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and less than 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

Tradescantia nanouk can grow in a variety of climates, but it is best suited for areas that have a moderate climate.

This is a typical indoor temperature range, thus making this plant ideal for placing inside your home or office.

Along with placing your Tradescantia nanouk near a window, you can also leave it in a steamy bathroom; it can handle a humid environment.

Light

Tradescantia Nanouk likes bright, indirect light.

Placing it near a window where it can be exposed to bright, indirect sunlight is a great way to encourage growth. This will ensure excellent flower production.

You can also place it in full sunlight but be careful that it doesn’t get too much as its leaves may burn.

The most common issues from not exposing your Fantasy Venice plant to enough sunlight are discoloring or fading the leaves and possibly browning the leaf tips.

You may also notice the leaves will be smaller than they should be, and there will be more green on them with less variation of color.

Watering

Water Nanouk spiderwort plants once a week or any time the top inch of soil seems to be dry.

Tradescantia nanouk does not require too much water, but be careful not to give them too much water. If your plant starts to look unhealthy, like leaves drooping or wilting, this may be a sign of overwatering and lead to root rot.

Tradescantia Nanouk plants may also be sensitive to certain salts found in tap water.

Therefore, if you start to notice problems like brown tips, it would be best to use distilled or filtered water instead of tap water.

Soil

Use well-draining soil for Tradescantia nanouk plants.

To ensure drainage, the potting mix should contain some soil amendment like coarse sand or perlite.

As for the pot you use, make sure the planter or container has a drainage hole at the bottom.

Fertilizer

Feed Tradescantia nanouk plants at least once a month.

You can use regular houseplant fertilizer that has been diluted to half the recommended strength.

Be sure to avoid adding too much fertilizer since that can cause browning of the leaf tips. The soil should always be damp before you add fertilizer.

Be sure to follow the directions on the amount of fertilizer to add and create a schedule to go by to avoid causing any issues with your plant.

Pests & Diseases

Pests and diseases that affect Tradescantia nanouk plants are usually caused by overwatering.

Overwatering will cause issues like root rot and various fungal infections. These conditions attract insects and diseases because they are a perfect breeding ground for them.

So, be sure to check if the soil is wet or soggy, and if so, allow the soil to dry completely before watering it again.

On the other hand, a dried-out Tradescantia nanouk may attract pests such as spider mites.

To avoid this issue, you should increase the humidity level in the room by using a humidifier, setting your planter on a pebble tray, or moving your plant into a highly humid area like the bathroom.

However, if you do end up seeing spider mites on our Fantasy Venice plants, you should shower your tradescantia nanouk with fresh water.

Then create a 50/50 spray mist of water and isopropyl alcohol and spray your plant several times to kill off the spider mites and their eggs.

If that doesn’t work, use an insecticide or neem oil spray.

Repotting

The best time to repot and transplant your Nanouk Spiderwort plant is during the growing season, which runs from spring through fall.

To repot your tradescantia nanouk plant, you first need to remove it from the original container and add soil to the new container.

The new container should be 1 to 2 inches larger than the previous one.

Check the plant’s root ball to see if it needs to be repotted at this time. This is a rapid-growing plant, so you may need to repot it much sooner than you think.

Once you have repotted the plant, it should be content for a year or longer before it needs to be repotted again.

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure the pot has drainage holes to mitigate overwatering issues.

Tradescantia Nanouk Propagation

Propagate Tradscantia Nanouk plants by stem cuttings.

You’ll want to start by cutting the plant’s stems to get some stem cuttings. To do this, make cuts to the stem, but always cut below the node on a stem that has several leaves.

Remove any lower leaves and leave a few inches of the bare stem behind the plant’s parent.

You can propagate this plant in water or place it directly in the soil.

You will notice root growth within a week or so. Let the new plants grow for about another two weeks before transplanting them into their own pots.

Pruning

You can keep your Tradescantia Nanouk healthy by pruning it back to encourage the plant to look fuller and less thin.

Tradescantia Nanouk is naturally a small and compact plant, but it is known to sprawl out and wander.

Hence some pruning is required to maintain the look of the plant.

Trim off all the leggy ends and place them back into the soil at the center of the container. You can use these cuttings to propagate more plants.

FAQ

Conclusion

The Tradescantia nanouk may be the very best houseplant out there.

If you are new to owning plants or looking for something that requires very little maintenance and upkeep, this is the ideal plant for you.

It is small and compact in size to not take over your living room or office.

Note, that the Tradescantia nanouk has also been used as ground cover in landscaping.

But just because it’s low maintenance doesn’t mean the tradescantia isn’t a houseplant to admire.

With its beautiful green leaves and various hues of purple, this small houseplant is sure to become a favorite among all the plants in your collection.

Other Tradescantia Plants (Wandering Jew plants) to Consider

If you’re looking for a houseplant or some landscaping plants, there are other varieties of Tradescantia to consider. Wandering Jew plants make a great choice indoors as houseplants or outdoors as groundcovers. Other types of Tradescantia plants to consider are listed below.

References