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Species library › Tradescantia › Tradescantia orchidophylla
Other Partly documented

Tradescantia orchidophylla

A Tradescantia from the seasonally dry tropical forests of Jalisco, Colima and Michoacán in western Mexico. It expects a hot, very dry spring followed by a humid monsoon, so give it warmth, bright light and a drier rest in winter and spring.

At home, aim for
Day Warm-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry
Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Probably grows on rocky slopes and in the understory of tropical deciduous and semi-deciduous forest, where the canopy drops its leaves in the dry season. This is inferred from the measured range and from related western Mexican Tradescantia.

Recorded from 79 to 1,770 m, with a median of about 730 m.

Mexico Southwest

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.