wandering Jew

Meaning

Noun

• Any plant of three species of spiderworts, Tradescantia pallida (species), Tradescantia fluminensis (species), and Tradescantia zebrina.
• The plant Saxifraga stolonifera.

Origin

• 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).