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White Flowered Wandering Jew. Tradescantia fluminensis (Vell.) Commelinaceae. Biology. Native to tropical South America Introduced as an ornamental Variable foliage types Ease of propagation Spread vegetatively thru stolon fragmentation and sexually from seeds
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White Flowered Wandering Jew Tradescantia fluminensis (Vell.) Commelinaceae
Biology • Native to tropical South America • Introduced as an ornamental • Variable foliage types • Ease of propagation • Spread vegetatively thru stolon fragmentation and sexually from seeds • Member of the dayflower family
Distribution & Impacts • Generally found in north central Florida, but also infestations throughout • Generally as a direct escape from cultivation • Category 1 exotic invasive (FLEPPC) • Floodplain forests and bottomlands, moist hammocks • Forms a dense groundcover • Smothers native understory vegetation
Mature Plant • Creeping, multi-branching, succulent plant • Perennial, vegetative reproduction from creeping stolons • Grows 1 to 2 feet in height
Leaves • Alternate arrangement • Lanceolate shaped, 2 inches long • Slight pubescence • Parallel veination with prominent recessed midvein • Maybe tinged with purple
Flowers • Flowers occur in small clusters at the tip of the stem • 3 petals • Fruit are small, 3 parted capsules • Seeds are black and pitted
Management Preventative Cultural Mechanical Biological Chemical
Preventative • Limit planting as an ornamental • Remove existing plants, including resprouts and before seeds are produced • Avoid mechanical disturbance in forested areas – logging, rouging, etc. where this plant is present • Spread from cut pieces
Cultural • Alternative landscape plants to replace white flowered wandering jew • Programs to educate homeowners about the problems associated with this plant and proper identification • Maintain good ground cover and mixture of plant species to reduce establishment
Biological • There are no known biological control agents available for white flowered wandering jew management in Florida or the southeastern U.S.
Mechanical • Hand pull young seedlings, including all stolons, repeated pulling for resprouts • Mowing or cutting is ineffective, as the plant will regrow from stem cuttings –may actually spread the plant through fragmentation
Chemical • Over-the-top applications of glyphosate at 2 to 3% solution or triclopyr at 1 to 2% solution plus 0.25% surfactant • Thoroughly wet leaves with herbicide • Retreatment will likely be necessary for complete eradication • Limited testing with other herbicides
Useful Links • Floridata Homepage: http://www.floridata.com/main_fr.cfm?state=Welcome&viewsrc=welcome.htm • University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants: http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/welcome.html • The Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group. Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas: http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/index.htm
Useful Links • Invasive Plants of the Eastern United States: http://www.invasive.org • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Plants Database: http://plants.usda.gov • Global Invasive Species Database: http://www.issg.org
Literature Cited Langeland, K.A. and K. Craddock Burks. 1998. Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas. IFAS Publication SP 257. University of Florida, Gainesville. 165 pp