This store requires javascript to be enabled for some features to work correctly.
Plant it once and it stays forever. Hardly something to take for granted 😏
Family: Commelinaceae · Pot diameter: 9 cm · Height: 15 cm
Tradescantia spathacea ‘Sitara’ arranges its leaves in a tight radiating rosette with two completely different faces: clean green above and deep purple beneath. Every slight change of angle reveals the second colour and makes the compact crown feel more three-dimensional.
Successive leaves of Tradescantia spathacea ‘Sitara’ open around a compact central axis, allowing the crown to show older and newer stages of colour and form at once.
‘Sitara’ belongs to the compact Bantam horticultural line and stands out for its tight two-coloured rosette.
The upper surface reads as calm green, while curves and gaps let the purple reverse appear around the edges.
New leaves begin at the centre and move older leaves outwards, creating a clear concentric rhythm.
The short rosette fits easily on a bright shelf and looks complete even before producing lateral offsets.
Why you’ll love it: it hides its strongest colour underneath and rewards a lower viewing angle with a clean purple outline.
On a plant stand or broad side table where the rosette has room to open. A plain pot in cream, charcoal or deep green keeps attention on the foliage’s changing colours.
Choices with compatible light needs and contrasting textures keep the arrangement balanced.
Plentiful bright, filtered light for clear colour and compact nodes. Protect it from harsh midday sun.
When the upper third of the mix is dry. Water evenly, drain completely and do not keep the crown permanently wet.
Average humidity, gentle airflow and roughly 18–27°C. Avoid cold draughts and prolonged drought.
The sap may irritate sensitive skin and chewing is not recommended. Keep it away from persistent pets.
Provide bright diffused light to keep pink, purple or dark areas clear. Very low intensity fades contrast, while harsh sun leaves dry scorch marks.
Water the root zone rather than repeatedly wetting the dense leaf bases. Let the upper portion dry between waterings without pushing the roots into prolonged wilt.
Cut above a healthy node during active growth to activate lateral buds. Remove a small part of the crown at a time and use healthy sections as cuttings.
Normal household humidity is enough when the root zone is watered consistently. Avoid constant misting on dense foliage and provide gentle air movement.
Use a mix that holds some even moisture but quickly restores air to the roots. Repot one size up when roots have genuinely filled the container.
During active growth follow the label rate of the recommended fertiliser. Do not try to correct low light or a troubled root zone by adding more feed.
Tradescantia spathacea is an accepted species in Commelinaceae, native from southern Mexico to Guatemala in a wet tropical biome.
The name Rhoeo discolor still occurs in horticulture but is treated as a synonym. The accepted placement is in the genus Tradescantia.
‘Sitara’ is recorded in cultivation as a compact Bantam Group selection and also occurs under the trade synonym ‘Tricolor’. No verified hybrid parentage has been published for this name.
From natural habitat to care: The species comes from a wet tropical biome, but a potted rosette needs air around its roots and light drying at the surface. Provide bright filtered light so compact growth does not loosen.
The apical meristem produces new leaves inside, while older leaves move towards the edge and eventually age at the base.
Pigments on the lower surface absorb and reflect different wavelengths, creating the deep purple revealed as the leaf bends.
Small white flowers appear within paired boat-like bracts, a feature behind one of the species' English common names.
Lateral buds at the base can create new rosettes. Over time, one unit becomes a small cluster without tip-pruning the centre.
Practical answers about growth and the plant’s most common signals.
‘Tricolor’ is used as a trade synonym of the horticultural ‘Sitara’. This product is sold under the name ‘Sitara’.
When the upper third of the mix is dry and the pot feels lighter. Water evenly, drain completely and leave no water standing at the base.
Very low light reduces contrast, while harsh sun bleaches or burns tissue. Move it gradually to brighter filtered light and assess the new growth.
Tip-prune above a healthy node during active growth and root the cut ends. Even light around the pot limits one-sided stretching.
Cut a healthy section with two or more nodes, remove the lower leaves and place at least one node in water or an airy, lightly moist medium.
It is not intended for chewing. Sap may irritate sensitive skin and contact or ingestion can cause discomfort; keep it away from persistent pets.
