How To Care For the Nanouk plant
The Tradescantia Nanouk is an absolutely gorgeous plant known for its bright green, purple/pink, fuzzy-ish leaves
Tradescantia Nanouk® (trad-es-KAN-tee-uh NAN-uhk) is also known as Fantasy Venice and Tradescantia albiflora ‘Nanouk’ (al-BIH-flor-uh).
This Tradescantia is a new cultivar developed by cross-pollinating two selected seedlings of Tradescantia albiflora. It is a patented plant with the United States Patent number, PP29711.
The plant was developed in the Netherlands in 2012 through a planned breeding program focused on creating a more compact type of Tradescantia with impressive flowers and highly dependable performance.
Although Tradescantia plants originated in Mexico, South America, and Central America, it can truly be said that this plant originated in Sappemeer, The Netherlands.
All Tradescantia plants are herbaceous perennials and are members of the plant family, Commelinaceae (ko-mel-ih-NAY-see-eye).
- Tradescantia Nanouk Care
Size & Growth
Fantasy Venice has a very compact and upright growth habit and spreads freely. The plant typically reaches a height and width of just under three-and-a-half inches.
The plants’ stems are thick, and the leaves are smooth on the top and a bit furry on the underside.
The leaves are impressively healthy and strong and rather plump. Leaf coloration is quite lovely in shades of green, light purple, grayish-green, pink, and cream.
Flowering & Fragrance
Flowers may be either pink or white and appear continuously throughout the plants’ growing season, which is spring through early autumn. When kept indoors, Tradescantia Nanouk may also bloom through the winter months.
Light & Temperature
Tradescantia albiflora ‘Nanouk’ does well in bright indirect sunlight or in full sun. Brighter light leads to greater flower production. Too little light will cause the foliage to fade.
The ideal temperature for this Tradescantia cultivar is between 55° and 75° degrees Fahrenheit. Outdoors, this Tradescantia is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 12.
Watering & Feeding the Nanouk plant
As with most houseplants, overwatering is far more problematic than underwatering.
Allow the soil to become almost dry and then water thoroughly.
Generally speaking, Fantasy Venice will do well with weekly watering.
Never allow the plant to stand in water.
As with most Tradescantia, this cultivar does not really need fertilizer.
Soil & Transplanting
Good drainage is a must. If your soil tends to be a bit heavy, add some perlite or coarse sand to lighten it up.
When kept as a potted plant, Tradescantia does well in any high-quality potting soil mix or container mix. You can improve the quality of the soil by adding organic matter such as compost, mulch, or peat moss.
Grooming & Maintenance
Even though Tradescantia Nanouk is bred to be compact, it still has some of the sprawling and wandering habits of its cousins. Keep the plant pinched back to encourage bushier growth.
If your plant begins to sprawl and looks a little bit thin at the top, trim off leggy cuttings and simply poke them into the soil in the center of the pot. They will quickly take root and fill out your plant.
How To Propagate Tradescantia Nanouk
As with all Tradescantia, propagation is a breeze. Just trim off cuttings and start them in soil or in water.
Tradescantia Nanouk Pests or Diseases
Excessive watering is the main problem for all Tradescantia. Too much water can cause root rot and fungal infections. This may lead to trouble with fungus gnats.
Anytime your plant seems to be less than healthy and happy, the first thing you should do is check to see if the soil is soggy. If it is, allow the plant to dry out completely before watering again.
Trim away any stems and/or leaves that seem to be damaged or rotten. You may also wish to take healthy cuttings at this time just in case root rot causes the demise of your main plant.
On the flip side, if you allow your plants to become too dry you may experience trouble with spider mites.
You can do this by misting and/or placing your plants on a pebble tray with a bit of water. Be sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the pot. It will then evaporate around the plants and increase humidity.
Spider mite infestation can be addressed by giving your plant vigorous showering with fresh water. Follow-up by misting the plant with a 50-50 solution of water and isopropyl alcohol.
Nanouk Toxicity to People and Pets?
The sap of all Tradescantia can be irritating to the skin and may cause gastric distress if ingested.
Wear gloves when handling your plant and/or wash up immediately after you finish trimming.
Keep pets away from Tradescantia as the sap can cause stomach upset if ingested and may cause dermatitis if it comes in contact with the animal skin.
Nanouk is Considered Invasive in the state of Florida
This type of plant naturalizes and spreads easily in any tropical environment.
in summary, How To Care For the Nanouk plant :
- Bright, indirect light
- Well-draining soil
- Watering when the top inch of the soil is dry