Trad

BUSH INVADER

Tradescantia fluminensis

family: COMMELINACEAE

Description

  • A creeping, rapid-growing soft herbaceous plant from South America, favouring damp, shady nutrient-enriched areas. Also known as Wandering Jew.
  • Stems are long, brittle, succulent and trailing, curving upwards at the tips; fine shallow roots grow at the leaf nodes.
  • Leaves are shiny mid-green, eliptical with a point, smooth and slightly fleshy, sheathed where they join the stem. Can cause a severe contact allergy in dogs, and also in some humans.
  • Small white flowers with 3 triangular petals occur in spring and summer. They do not appear to produce viable seed in Australia.
  • A native plant look-alike, Scurvy Weed (Commelina cyanea), is distinguished by its blue flowers and fleshy roots.

Dispersal

Dumping of garden refuse; stem fragments root readily and can be washed down waterways or spread in mud from vehicles.

Impact on Bushland

Trad is an aggressive smothering creeper which rapidly takes over the ground layer in gullies and temporary watercourses, forming a dense cover of leaves that exclude light and warmth. Blankets low plants and seedlings, cools the soil, prevents native plant germination. Tolerates shade, sun and drought, but is frost tender. Highly invasive.

Distribution

Throughout the Blue Mountains in frost-free areas.

Alternative Planting

Native Plants
Arthritis Plant,
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
Kidney Weed (Dichondra repens)
Native Violet (Viola hederacea)

Exotic alternatives
Wild Thyme
(Thymus serpyllum cultivars)
Alpine Phlox (Phlox subulata)

Control

Pull up, rake, or knife out; remove all stem pieces. Bag and send to tip. Follow the Principles of Bush Regeneration.

Picture of Trad infestation
Floods will wash rafts of this Trad infestation downstream to invade new areas.

Picture of Tradescantia.

Trad forms dense carpets up to 60mm deep in damp places which are degraded by urban runoff, like this creekline.

Picture of Trad leaves

Trad leaves are glossy mid-green, smooth and slightly fleshy. They are sheathed where they join the stem.

Picture of Trad flowers

White flowers with 3 triangular petals are produced in small clusters in spring and summer.

Picture of Trad infestation

A Trad infestation in bushland requires huge amounts of time, effort and money to control.

Picture of native Scurvy Weed

The native Scurvy Weed is easily mistaken for Trad when it is not in flower. Its growth habit is very similar, but leaves are narrower and more pointed, and flowers are blue.