Rhoeo/ Tradescantia spathacea dwarf purple (single plant)

Description

Moses in the Cradle Plant
A Moses in the Cradle plant grows beautifully both as an outdoor plant and as a colorful indoor plant. The scientific name of a Moses in the Cradle plant was originally Rhoeo discolour, then Rhoeo spathacea, and now it’s Tradescantia spathacea. It is the same family as the popular Wandering Jew plant and the spiderwort.. A Moses on the Cradle plant has several common names such as Oyster plant, Boat Lily, Moses-in-a-Boat, Cradle Lily, and Moses-in-the-Bullrushes. Whichever name you decide to call these colorful plants, native to Mexico, the West Indies, Guatemala, and Central America, they are easy to care for and grow well both as an outdoor plant in temperate climates and as a houseplant. The varieties sold as indoor plants are usually “dwarf” types and only reach a height of about 6”-12.” A Moses in the Cradle plant needs about 6-8 hours of bright, indirect light or it gets leggy. When that happens it’s a good time to aggressively prune the plant during the spring. You can use the stem cuttings to propagate a new Mosses in the Cradle plant.

A Moses in the Cradle plant is easily recognized by its rosettes of long, lance shaped, waxy leaves with vibrant, purple undersides. The leaves come out from the bottom of the plant, just above the ground. The most popular varieties sold have leaves that are green, or a mixture of green, white, and purple stripes. Other attractive Moses in the Cradle plant varieties are the “Golden Oyster” (Tradescantia spathacea ‘Sitara’s Gold) which has bright, golden yellow and green strappy leaves and the “Tricolor” (Tradescantia spathacea Tricolor) which has colorful pink, green, and cream variegated, strap-like leaves. A Moses in the Cradle plant is grown for its vibrantly colored leaves rather than its small, three petaled, white flowers. The flowers grow out of spathes that are “boat” or “cradle” shaped which is how the plant got its distinctive name.

Keep an eye out for spider mites, that could drain the color from the leaves, and mealy bugs that often hide inside the clumps of leaves. A Moses in the Cradle plant is considered poisonous and toxic to cats, dogs, and small children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in my book Don’t Feed Me to Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants.