Baby Bunny Bellies (Tradescantia chrysophylla) Indoor Care

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Botanical name: Tradescantia chrysophylla
Family: Commelinaceae
Common names: Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia, Speedy Jenny Baby Bellies, Baby Bunny Bellies Plant

Description

Tradescantia chrysophylla commonly called Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia or Speedy Jenny Baby Bellies is a climbing or trailing plant with fuzzy foliage which feels like the under belly of a baby bunny.

The velvety green leaves in Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia have beautiful, soft, purply undersides. The plant grows to a height of 6-8 inches and can trail upto 60cm wide.

Speedy Jenny Baby Bellies is easy to grow indoors when given sufficient light and is perfect for a hanging basket, table-top or desk-top.

Toxicity

Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia is mildly toxic to humans and pets.

If ingested, the plant sap can cause burning in the mouth, tongue and throat. The sap may also cause skin irritation in sensitive skin; always wear gloves when handling the Speedy Jenny Baby Bellies.

Where to Buy

Would you like to add Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia to your collection? They are readily available online at Etsy.

Buy Tradescantia Chrysophylla Online from Etsy Shops

Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia, Tradescantia chrysophylla

Tradescantia chrysophylla Care

Indoors, Baby Bunny Bellies (Tradescantia chrysophylla) grows best in bright, indirect light, average warmth and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding during the growing season.

Tradescantia chrysophylla requires pruning to keep it neat, to control growth and to rejuvenate growth. Repotting is necessary when it becomes extremely pot-bound. Keep reading for more on these growing conditions and how to achieve them.

Watering

Watering Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia is not complicated. During the growing season, liberally wet the soil until the water drips through the drainage hole. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Maintain the soil moderately moist through out the season.

Decrease watering during the cold weather to keep the soil barely moist as growth is minimal at this time. However, do not allow the soil to dry out completely.

Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy soil as it can lead to root-rot disease and eventual death of the plant.

Temperature and Humidity

Average warmth between 18-24⁰C and a minimum 13⁰C is ideal for your Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia. Keep it away from draughts as they can cause leaf drop.

Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia has no need for high humidity. Moderate (average) air humidity is ideal for this Plant.

However, set the pot on a wet pebble tray to raise humidity where the temperatures are too high. Check out these techniques on how to raise humidity for houseplants.

Light Requirements

Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia grows best in bright, indirect light away from direct sunshine as it can cause ugly brown scorching marks on the leaves.

Regularly rotate the pot to ensure that the plant receives light on all sides for uniform growth and to prevent lopsided growth.

Where the lighting is not adequate, consider investing in a grow light to ensure that the plant receives enough light for a lush growth. Here is a link to Amazon for full spectrum grow lights for indoor plants.

Potting Medium

The best potting mix for Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia should be rich in organic matter and free-draining to prevent it from getting soggy while providing the required nutrients.

Most multi-purpose potting mixes like this quality Potting Mix from Etsy is ideal for your Baby Bunny Bellies Plant.

Fertilizer

Feed your Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia with a balanced, liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks during the growing period.

Withhold feeding during the cold season as the growth is minimal and feeding at this time may lead to fertilizer burn.

Repotting

Repot Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia during the growing season only when the plant has become extremely pot-bound.

Use a pot one size larger than the current one. Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to root-rot disease and eventual death of the plant. Check out these Ceramic Planter Set with Drainage Hole and Saucer on Amazon.

Pruning

Pruning Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia is easy as it involves regular removal of dead foliage to maintain the plant neat and tidy as well as discourage pests and diseases.

To control the growth of the plant and encourage bushyness, pinch the growing tips. Cutback leggy stems with a sharp, clean pair of pruning scissors at the beginning of the growing season to rejuvenate growth and promote a compact growth.

Propagation

Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia (Tradescantia chrysophylla) propagation is easily done during the growing period by plant divison or from stem-cuttings.

How to propagate Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia by plant division

Water the Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia thoroughly at least 1 day before to make it easier to divide and also hasten establishment. A well hydrated plant suffers less shock and takes a shorter time to take root.

Take out the plant from its pot and carefully divide it into sections. Ensure each sections has adequate roots and at least one set of leaves.

Pot the sections in individual pots in loose, free-draining soil and ensure the rooting container has adequate drainage to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to rotting.

Take care not to bury it too deep; maintain the section at the same soil level it was in the previous pot.

Water the soil thoroughly and place the set up in a well-lit, warm place until the new Baby Bunny Bellies Plant is well established after which you can begin routine care.

How to propagate Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia from stem cuttings

The stem cuttings root easily so there is no need for rooting hormone. Take a stem cutting from a healthy Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia of about 4-6 in. and ensure it bears at least two sets of leaves.

Allow some time for the formation of a protective callus tissue over the cuts of the cuttings to prevent rotting.

Fill your rooting container with loose, free-draining soil to a depth of about 4 in. Lightly moisten the soil.

With a pencil or similar object make a hole that is wider than the diameter of the cutting. Carefully insert the cutting in the hole made previously to a depth of about 3 in.

Place the set up in a warm, well-lit place and maintain the soil moist through out until new growth emerges.

Allow the new Baby Bunny Bellies Plant to be well established before transplanting to individual pots after which you can begin routine care.

Tradescantia chrysophylla Problems

Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia (Tradescantia chrysophylla) growing problems are leaf drop, leggy growth, loss of leaf color, plant death, pests and diseases among others. Read on for more on these problems, their remedies and solutions.

Yellow leaves and limp stems

Yellow leaves and limp in your Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia are due to underwatering. Maintain the soil moderately moist at all times and never allow the soil to dry out completely.

Dropping leaves

Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia will readily drop its leaves if the light is inadequate (too little) as it requires bright, indirect light to flourish.

Ensure to place you Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia in a brightly lit place while protecting it from direct hot sunshine to avoid scorching of the leaves. If the natural lighting is not adequate, consider installing a grow light to supplement it.

Loss of leaf color

Loss of leaf color in Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia is caused by too little light. Move the plant to a brighter spot, as it grows best in bright, indirect light away from direct sunshine.

Leggy growth (elongated stems)

There are three possible causes of leggy growth in Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia. One possible cause of leggy growth is too little light.

Position the Speedy Jenny Baby Bellies to a brighter spot as it needs bright, indirect light to thrive. You can also instal a grow light if you do not have adequate light in your home.

The second cause of leggy growth in Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia is underwatering resulting too little moisture in the soil and thus the plant does not get enough water and nutrients necessary for growth.

Maintain the soil moderately moist during the growing season. Reduce watering during the cold season but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.

The third cause of leggy growth in Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia is inadequate feeding (underfeeding).

Feed the plant once a month with a balanced, liquid fertilizer to promote healthy growth.

Plant dying

Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia dying is caused by root-rot disease which is brought about by soggy soil due to poor drainage.

Ascertain that the soil is free-draining and that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy. Check out these Ceramic Plant Pots with Drainage Holes and Saucer on Amazon.

In addition, reduce watering during the cold season as growth is minimal at this time and thus the plant does not require a lot of water. Read on how to treat root-rot in houseplants.

Diseases

Apart from root-disease, Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia is also prone to leaf spot disease. Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to the other houseplants and treat the plant appropriately for the leaf spot disease.

Pests

Common pests in Baby Bunny Bellies Tradescantia are Scale Insects, Mealy Bugs and Aphids. Isolate the affected plant and treat appropriately. Mist the leaves regularly to reduce infestation by these pests. Read on how to identify and get rid of pests in houseplants.