Tradescantia 'Nanouk'

Nanouk is a striking inch-plant with thick, lush purple, pink, white, and green striped leaves. Each leaf has light and dark green striping down the center, surrounded by white. The pink and purple coloring shows up as a deep blush across the white sections. The leaf undersides are rich and bright burgundy or pink, adding to the overall stunning coloring.

Inch-plants, also known as spiderworts or wandering dudes, are vigorous growers with many branching arms. The overall appearance of Nanouk is quite different from other inch-plants, though. It has chunky stems and slightly fuzzy, sturdy, more rounded leaves. Its growth is also relatively compact. The leaves are rigid and upright, 3-6" long, and slightly cupped. Due to their plumpness, they retain their shape easily.

Like other inch-plants, Nanouk is known for extensive trailing vines, but in this, Nanouk also stands out from other inch-plants. Its growth is shorter, more upright, and denser. Nanouk grows 12-24 inches long and rarely gets taller than 6" high. As the plant matures, the leaves do get more prominent and floppier. If you want to keep the small leaf growth, cut back the stems as soon as they start producing larger leaves.

To keep the beautiful variegation, make sure the plant receives enough light. Lots of bright, indirect light brings out the pinks and purples. Nanouk will live just fine in low light, but the trade-off is a lack of color.

Bright light is also necessary to prevent legginess, a common issue with inch-plants. They stretch their vines towards the light, and if they aren't getting enough, they'll focus on growing long vines and not producing foliage.

It is essential to balance the amount of light, though. Too much sun can cause the coloring to fade or get a washed-out appearance. Put your Nanouk on a windowsill that receives direct light but use blinds or a sheer curtain to block the harshness of the mid-afternoon sun.

To create a fuller look, you can plant several Nanouk stems in one container. This creates a more bushy appearance, which usually looks better than a single vine stretching out from a pot. You can also cut back the stems when they get lanky. The plant will produce side shoots which then create a thicker growth habit.

A simple way to create a lush-looking inch plant is to repot the trimmed off stems directly into the same container. This way, you encourage the original plant to produce thicker growth while simultaneously developing a denser appearance with more Nanouk baby starts.

The primary issue plant parents encounter with Tradescantia Nanouk is caused by overwatering. These plants are sensitive to too much water. They like moist soil but not to be constantly soggy. Be sure to water only when the top 2 inches of soil are dry – this may be once a week or even less, depending on the indoor climate.

History of Tradescantia Nanouk

Tradescantia plants are native to Central and South America and Mexico. They've been popular houseplants for decades, and Nanouk is just one of the newest in a long line of cultivation.

Nanouk goes by the name Fantasy Venice, too, and was developed in the Netherlands in 2012. The developers of Nanouk cross-pollinated two specially selected Tradescantia albiflora seedlings to create the unique leaf coloring. Their efforts also included developing an inch plant with excellent growth performance that was hardy and vigorous. Fantasy Venice is a patented plant registered to the cultivators in the Netherlands.

Tradescantia Nanouk Similar Looking Species

This plant is commonly listed as Tradescantia fluminensis "Nanouk." Tradescantia fluminensis looks extremely similar to the Nanouk, with pink, white, and green leaves. However, the green is more prominent in this type, and it has white flowers. The resemblance is so close that many suppliers sell T. fluminensis as Nanouk. They are not the same, though.

Tradescantia spathacea “Tricolor” is also similar looking. The main difference between these two is that Nanouk has shorter, more rounded leaves than the Tricolor. It also grows much more compact.

Repotting Tradescantia Nanouk

Because Nanouk is a fast grower, it's best to repot the plant yearly. Repotting to a larger container doesn't just allow the plant to grow larger; it's also necessary for replenishing the soil. Potting soil is the primary source of nutrients for houseplants, and the nutrients deplete over time, especially with quick-growing plants like Nanouk.

You can grow Nanouk in a pot and let it vine across a shelf or cabinet. Or, train it to drape along a wall. Nanouks also look vibrant and striking in hanging planters.

Tradescantia Nanouk Flowering

The flowers of Nanouk are pink or white. Indoor plants usually don't flower, but they might. If it does flower, it may happen anytime during the growing season, from spring-fall.