Wandering jew or trad | Primary industries & fisheries | Queensland Government

Wandering jew or trad

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Wandering jew or trad

Wandering jew or Trad leaf and flowe
Wandering jew flower
Wandering jew or Trad infestation
Wandering jew infestation


General information

A native of South America, wandering jew (Tradescantia fluminernsis), also called trad, is a fleshy-leaved creeping plant that grows as a ground cover.

A good, non-invasive native alternative to wandering jew is scurvy grass (Commelina diffusa).

Wandering jew is not a declared pest plant under Queensland legislation.

Scientific name Tradescantia fluminernsis
Impacts
  • out-competes native vegetation along streams and gullies
  • smothers ground by sending out roots at each nodal point
Description
  • green shiny leaves with parallel veins covered with small hairs
  • small white three-petalled flowers produced mainly in spring
  • stems and leaves are weak and easily broken
Habitat and distribution
  • establishes as thick carpet-like groundcover in moist, shady areas
  • considered a major environmental weed in subtropical and temperate rainforests
Control
  • hand-weeding to remove whole plant including roots and nodes is effective but labour intensive
  • herbicides are effective
  • see the wandering jew fact sheet for more information
Declaration details
  • not a declared species under Queensland legislation but may be declared under local government law
Further information
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Page maintained by Sonia Jordan
Last reviewed 14 September 2011

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