You’ve probably seen this trendy plant on your Instagram feed. Tradescantia Nanouk (Tradescantia albiflora ‘Nanouk’), also known as Fantasy Venice, is a special type of spider plant that has become a must for plant lovers. Pink, white, purple and green stripes pattern its lush leaves on upright stems. In the right conditions, it can grow as a tall trailing ivy, and you’ll even find tiny white and yellow flowers emerging from its pink buds during the growing season. Tradescantia Nanouk grows quickly and vigorously.
This plant was specially designed to be colorful, attractive and easy to grow. Unlike other plants in the Tradescantia and Zebrina genera, Tradescantia Nanouk is unique in that it is a patented plant, developed in the Netherlands in 2012.1 It originated in a program aimed at creating a more vigorous, hardy Tradescantia with showier flowers.
Botanical name: Tradescantia albiflora ‘Nanouk’
Common name: Tradescantia Nanouk, Fantasy Venice
Plant type: Perennial, trailing vines
Mature size: 3-6 inches tall, 12-24 inches long (trailing)
Sun exposure: Bright, indirect light
Soil type: Well-draining potting mix, optional vermiculite or peat moss
Soil pH: 5.0–6.5
Plant care
Tradescantia Nanouk grows best in bright, indirect light, so a north or east facing window is best. Water your plant when the top inch or so of soil is dry, making sure it doesn’t dry out completely. North-facing windows will provide less light, so your plant will need less water there than in an east-facing window.
As Tradescantia Nanouk thrives in a moist environment, it is a great plant to have in a bathroom window as the steam from your shower or bath will keep the air moist. You can also create a humid environment by grouping your Tradescantia Nanouk closely with other moisture-loving plants and running a humidifier nearby. Another option is to create a humidification tray under your plant.
