Plant family
Spiderworts & inch plants — Commelinaceae
34 species across 5 genera in the Growli library
The spiderwort family gives us the fast, forgiving trailers — tradescantia (inch plant, wandering dude), callisia, the shimmering Cyanotis and the hardy garden spiderworts — grown for colourful, often striped or purple foliage.
Browse spiderworts & inch plants by genus
All spiderworts & inch plants we cover
- Basket Plant
- Blue Ginger
- Bracted Spiderwort
- Bridal Veil Plant
- Callisia Repens 'Gold'
- Callisia Repens 'Pink Lady'
- Cobweb Spiderwort
- Inch Plant
- Inch Plant 'Nanouk'
- Long-stalked Spiderwort
- Moses in the Cradle
- Moses-in-the-Cradle (Oyster Plant)
- Node-flower Cyanotis
- Ohio Spiderwort
- Purple Heart
- Purple Heart
- Pussy Ears Plant
- Queen's Spiderwort
- Rhoeo Spathacea 'Tricolor'
- Teddy Bear Vine
- Tradescantia 'Bubblegum'
- Tradescantia 'Lilac'
- Tradescantia 'Lilac'
- Tradescantia 'Nanouk'
- Tradescantia blossfeldiana
- Tradescantia fluminensis 'Tricolor'
- Tradescantia fluminensis 'Variegata'
- Tradescantia mundula
- Tradescantia Navicularis
- Tradescantia Sillamontana
- Tradescantia Zebrina 'Quadricolor'
- Turtle Vine
- Veldt Cyanotis
- Wandering dude
Spiderworts & inch plants — frequently asked questions
Are spiderworts & inch plants toxic to cats and dogs?
Most spiderworts & inch plants are not pet-safe. Of the 34 spiderworts & inch plants in the Growli library, 32 (94%) carry a toxic or mildly-toxic ASPCA classification and 2 are pet-safe. They are not uniformly safe, so always confirm the exact species on its pet-safety page before trusting it around cats or dogs.
How much light do spiderworts & inch plants need?
Most spiderworts & inch plants want bright, indirect light — 32 of the 34 in our library do best there. If yours stretches toward the window or loses its variegation it needs more light; scorched or bleached leaves mean it is getting too much.
Are spiderworts & inch plants easy to care for?
Spiderworts & inch plants are moderate to grow: the one real requirement is a genuinely bright spot out of harsh midday sun. Get the light right and most of the rest of their care follows.
What is the Commelinaceae family?
The Commelinaceae family — the spiderworts & inch plants — groups 34 species across 5 genera in the Growli library, most prominently Tradescantia, Cyanotis, Callisia. Members share a broadly similar light, water and soil pattern, which is why it pays to learn the family before the individual plant.