What is wrong with this spiderwort cultivar? - Ask Extension
My Charlotte's Web Tradescantia has brown spots, streaks, and crinkling edges. What is causing this? They were planted in 2019 and looked great that y...
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What is wrong with this spiderwort cultivar? #793285
Asked May 30, 2022, 11:10 AM EDT
My Charlotte's Web Tradescantia has brown spots, streaks, and crinkling edges. What is causing this? They were planted in 2019 and looked great that year and in 2020. Both years they bloomed all season long. Last year (2021) this same thing happened (brown spots, streaks, and crinkling) and I cut them back. They grew back very slowly and did not bloom again and didn't get very big (about half the size of the one in the photo). This year the same thing is happening (they haven't bloomed yet).
Interestingly I just did a search for this plant and it's out of stock at the first page of links. Walter's Gardens no longer has it on their page. Here's a link to the YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h2XJPhFO-o.
They are located in a partially shady area at a rest area in Shiawassee County and are part of an Extension MG project. The first two years they seemed like the perfect plant; now this.
Your advice will be appreciated.
(I tried sending this yesterday through my old Safari browser. Today I'm trying Chrome.)
Shiawassee County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello Carol,
When you have water soaked brown spots on plant leaves, this indicates either a fungal, bacterial, or pest problem. To determine the accurate reason why your Tradescantia has these issues, is by sending a sample along with pics of the plant to MSU Plant and Pest Diagnostics. Since this issue has been present in the last two years, accuracy is needed. You can access by them with this link. https://www.canr.msu.edu/pestid/index
Thanks for contacting Ask Extension.