wandering Jew

The plant's name is derived from the figure of the Wandering Jew, presumably at least partly from the tendency of those plants to spread through a garden (i.e. wander).

wandering Jew (plural wandering Jews)

1. Any plant of three species of spiderworts, Tradescantia pallida, Tradescantia fluminensis, and Tradescantia zebrina.
   • 1974 April 13, “Untitled”, in Gay Community News, page 3:

     GCN needs donations of plants to hang in its windows...Should be plants that like a bright but sunless northern exposure...plants that are happy hanging too; like ivies, wandering jews, spider plants, philodendrons, mother-of-thousands, what have you?? Cuttings O.K., need pots and a sprayer also.

2. The plant Saxifraga stolonifera.