Tradescantia cerinthoides ‘Nanouk’ close-up of leaf on white background.

Tradescantia cerinthoides ‘Nanouk’ potted plant in nursery pot on white background.

Commelinaceae

Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’

Inch Plant

Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’ has broad, green-and-cream striped leaves with pink-purple tones on the pale areas and undersides. Beneath the dense leaves, thick, closely spaced stems spread and trail.

Read full guide to Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’

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L Pot Ø 16 cm · approx. 30 cm tall Sold out

Variant

Sizes are approximate. Height is measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant; diameter at the widest point.

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Care at a glance

Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’

Light

Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux

Watering

Water when ~40–60% dry

Substrate

Aerated • Moisture-buffered • Balanced organic + mineral • Medium

Temperature

Ideal: 15–24 °C • Avoid below: 10 °C

Humidity

Average 40–50%

Growth habit

Trailing and spreading herbaceous perennial.

Support

not needed

Growth speed

Average

Cultivated size guide

Trail length: 60 cm • Spread: 60 cm

Toxicity & safety

Toxic

Origin & habitat

Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’ is a horticultural cultivar bred by Wander Durk Tuinier in Sappemeer, the Netherlands, from a 2012 cross between two unnamed Tradescantia seedling selections.

Outdoor growing

Outside from 10 °C · sheltered spot

How to read these values

These care values give practical guidance for growing the plant. Adjust care for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.

For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.

Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.

Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
Growth speed: expected pace under suitable growing conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.

Cultivated size guide: approximate dimensions for an established plant in the stated growing context. Height is measured upwards from the growing surface; foliage height excludes flower stems. Trailing length follows a stem, while foliage drop is the vertical distance from the crown to the lowest leaf tips. Spread is the width of the leafy plant or crown, not an individual leaf. Flowering height includes the flower stems. A container guide applies to pot-grown plants; an in-ground guide applies to plants rooted in the ground. Size also depends on age, conditions, pot space and training.

These figures do not describe the size supplied and are not fixed upper limits.

Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.

Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’

Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’ has broad leaves striped green and cream. The cream areas often develop pink to purple tones, and the undersides are purple. Thick stems and short gaps between the leaves keep the young growth dense and give young plants a rounded shape.

New shoots start upright, then spread across the pot as they lengthen. As the shoots branch, fresh leaves grow near the centre. Older stems gradually trail over the pot edge.

Broad pastel stripes on compact stems

Broad leaves with longitudinal green and cream striping.
Pink to purple colour on pale sectors and undersides.
Short internodes create dense growth.
Stems are upright to spreading before they trail.
Small three-petalled pinkish flowers may appear.

Origin & background

Origin and background of Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’

Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’ was bred by Wander Durk Tuinier in Sappemeer, in the Netherlands.

The cross was made in 2012 using two unnamed Tradescantia seedling selections.

Plant care

How to care for Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’

Give Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’ bright, filtered light with brief periods of gentle sun. Introduce stronger light gradually; it supports dense, compact growth. Hot midday sun can mark the cream and pink-purple areas of the leaves.

Keep temperatures around 15–24 °C and avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures below 10 °C. Aim for humidity around 50–60 %.

Water thoroughly once the upper mix has dried, then let the pot drain. The fleshy stems tolerate a short dry spell, but repeated drought can crisp the lower leaves. Constant wetness damages the roots.

Use well-drained compost in a wide, modest-sized pot, avoiding a large volume of mix that stays wet for a long time. Leave room for the stems to grow upright and spread.

Apply fertiliser lightly during fresh growth.

Pinch the longest shoots above a node to maintain branching.

Healthy stem tips can renew the sparse centre of an older plant. Use cuttings with one or more nodes; they can root in water or lightly moist propagation mix.

Move to a pot only slightly larger when roots occupy the available space. Replace degraded mix or mix that drains slowly. If the plant is unstable but its roots still have room, steady it without increasing the pot size.

Issues & solutions

Troubleshooting Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’

Pink-purple colour fades or stems grow longer: Light, temperature and leaf age can change the pattern, while low light may lengthen new internodes. Gradually increase bright filtered light if new growth is weak and check later leaves. Do not try to restore colour through extra fertiliser.
Leaf edges become dry or brown: Repeated drought, hot sun or accumulated fertiliser salts may contribute. Check root-ball moisture and recent feeding. Rinse suspected salts only during a due watering when the pot drains freely; protect the pale leaves from abrupt direct sun.
Yellow, soft tissue spreads at the stem base: Check drainage and whether tissue is truly mushy or foul-smelling. Preserve firm healthy stems and roots, removing only confirmed decay with disinfected tools. Root unaffected stem tips if the original base cannot recover.
Aphids, mealybugs or fine webbing appear near new tips: Inspect tender nodes for living insects or mites before treating. Isolate a confirmed infestation and carefully remove accessible pests. If needed, use only a locally authorised product labelled for the identified pest on indoor ornamental Tradescantia.

Safety

Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’ can irritate skin and the mouth

Keep the plant out of reach of children, cats and dogs that may chew it.
Sap and leaves can irritate sensitive skin, with possible redness or itching. Chewing the plant can irritate the mouth and digestive tract and may cause drooling or an upset stomach.
If symptoms appear or persist, seek medical advice for a person or veterinary advice for an animal.

Names & etymology

Naming history of Tradescantia ‘Nanouk’

The genus name Tradescantia honours John Tradescant the Elder and his son, John Tradescant the Younger.

Carl Linnaeus published the genus name in 1753 in Species Plantarum, on page 288. Heinrich Bernhard Ruppius had proposed the name earlier.

Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.