Gibasis pellucida
Gibasis pellucida (Bridal Veil) Care Guide
Featured phototradescantia-bridal-veil.jpgGibasis pellucida, sold as Bridal Veil, is a member of *Tradescantia*, a Commelinaceae genus of about 75 species across the Americas. A Mexican Commelinaceae closely related to Tradescantia, with very small lance-shaped green leaves on slender pendulous stems and small white three-petalled flowers across the year. Often sold as a Tradescantia despite the genus reassignment. Like most cultivated Tradescantia it grows fast, propagates almost trivially from stem cuttings, and produces three-petalled flowers in white, pink, or violet on mature plants.
Care facts at a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Water when the top 2 cm of mix has dried.
- Humidity
- 40–60 %
- Temperature
- 15–27 °C
- Soil
- Free-draining houseplant mix with extra perlite.
- Origin
- Tropical Americas, with Tradescantia spreading across the Americas from Canada to Argentina.
- Mature size
- Trailing stems to 60 cm or more.
Overview
Gibasis pellucida sits in Tradescantia, a fast-growing Commelinaceae genus famous for vivid foliage and three-petalled flowers. A Mexican Commelinaceae closely related to Tradescantia, with very small lance-shaped green leaves on slender pendulous stems and small white three-petalled flowers across the year. Often sold as a Tradescantia despite the genus reassignment. Most cultivated Tradescantia tolerate considerable neglect, root readily from broken pieces, and stay reliably colourful in bright filtered light.
Care Priorities
- Bright filtered light keeps colour vivid.
- Pinch growing tips regularly to encourage branching.
- Water when the top of the mix dries; tolerates drought briefly.
- Refresh from cuttings every two years — old plants tend to bare at the base.
Common Problems
Pale or fading colour signals insufficient light. Bare leggy stems are normal in old plants — restart from cuttings. Aphids cluster on growing tips and dislodge with a strong water spray.
Sources & further reading (2)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-04-29
- botanical-garden — accessed 2026-04-29
Frequently asked questions
Is bridal veil really a Tradescantia?
Modern taxonomy places bridal veil in *Gibasis pellucida*, but it was long known as Tradescantia multiflora and is still widely sold under the older Tradescantia name. The two genera are closely related and care requirements are essentially identical.
How do I keep Tradescantia bushy?
Pinch growing tips every few weeks to encourage branching, and root every shoot you remove. Bushy Tradescantia is the result of constant tip pruning rather than any inherent compactness in the plant.
Can I root Tradescantia in water?
Yes — Tradescantia is one of the fastest plants to root in water. Cut a healthy stem section with at least two nodes and stand it in a glass of water. Roots typically emerge within a week.
