With regular watering, you’ll begin to see new growth shortly. Species epithet 'spathacea' means 'with a spathe', describing the spathe-like bract holding the flowers. If you do place your cutting in soil directly, be sure to keep the soil moist for a couple of weeks, until roots start to grow. How frequent you’ll need to water it will depend on many different factors. The leaves are a dark teal-tinged forest green on top and vivid violet underneath. Description: Tradescantia spathacea is a rather succulent small and low-growing plant, with rosettes of waxy lance-shaped leaves metallic green above, with glossy purple underneath. Just keep in mind that the more light it gets – the more purple it will be. To get the cutting – you can cut it anywhere along the stem and place it in water or directly in soil. Moses-in-the-Cradle plants are originated in Belize, Guatemala, and regions of southern Mexico, such as Tabasco, Chiapas, and the Yucatan Peninsula. The easiest method to propagate wandering jew is to stick a cutting into some fresh potting soil, pour some water on it and it should be good to go. Don’t worry if you forget once in a while—it will occasionally tolerate a missed watering. Outdoors, it forms an excellent ground cover. Sun or shade; regular to ample water. On a few occasions I accidentally broke some of the stems and I would just place them back into soil with the rest of the plant. Water when the top inch of soil is dry and be sure to water the soil underneath the leaves. Alongside Tradescantia Pallida, we can commonly also find T. Zebrina (aka Wandering Jew), T. Fluminensis (aka Small-leaf spiderwort) and T. Spathacea (aka Moses-in-the-cradle). You may simply pinch of a branch or a few branches and submerge the cuttings in fresh soil. Tradescantia Purple Heart will love a spot where it gets many hours of sunlight. For more information see: Problems Common to Many Indoor Plants. Sun Exposure: Light Shade. Rhoeo spathacea is the synonym of Tradescantia spathacea. I’d say you’ll have success in 99.9% of times. I actually got mine in a “form of a broken branch”. Named garden selections offer flowers in white, blue shades, lavender, purple, shades of pink from pale to near-red; these plants are often sold as Tradescantia x andersoniana or as members of the Andersonia Group. Best in filtered or part sun locations. Mine didn’t get enough sunlight last winter and it slowly started turning green. Where is this species invasive in the US. Tradescantia spathacea is very easy to root in soil or water, making it a fun plant to propagate. To most of common houseplants, if placed on direct sunlight for many hours, leaves can get damaged. Common house plants that are toxic to cats, Heart shaped leaf houseplants | perfect gift for your loved ones, 7 factors that affect your houseplant watering frequency, Philodendron Hederaceum aka Heartleaf Philodendron | care tips, Chlorophytum comosum aka Spider plant | care & propagation, Syngonium care tips | how to care for the Arrowhead Plant. White flowers in axillary cymes are enclosed by long-lasting, boat-shaped, purple bracts, hence the common name of Moses-in-a-basket. Tradescantia spathacea. Plants like a consistently moist but well-drained soil during the growing season, with reduced watering from fall to late winter. How to care for Moses in the cradle plant: To take care of a Tradescantia spathacea, grow in a bright location with partial shade. Etymology: The genus epithet Tradescantia named after John Tradescant (died 1638), gardener to King Charles I of England. Also causes minor skin irritation in humans. Just place the cutting’s stem in water and place the vase in a light spot. Keeping the soil constantly wet, especially if you have your Tradescantia indoors, can lead to root rot. Growing Tradescantia is easy, and you will find the plants to be quite resilient.These plants typically grow in moist, well-drained and acidic (pH 5 to 6) soil. Place pots in a bucket or tray to take to the site of the plant along with the pruners and growth hormone. Tradescantia pallida, known by Purple Heart, Purple Queen or Wandering … Find out which of the most common houseplants are also toxic to your pets in Common house plants that are toxic to cats! Every “cutting” rooted out successfully, and I didn’t even pay much attention to it! Variegated Moses In The Cradle. I like to bring it inside to have a touch of color in my apartment. Flowers are followed by fruit (3-celled capsules). Established plants have drought tolerance. Potted plants may be taken outside in summer. It can cause contact dermatitis when in contact with bare skin and is highly irritating if eaten. Genus epithet 'Tradescantia' named after John Tradescant (died 1638), gardener to King Charles I of England. That doesn’t mean that you should constantly keep the soil wet – water your Tradescantia when the first few cm of soil are dry. You can place your Tradescantia near any window – east, west, north, south – and it will continue to grow. In St. Louis, it is easily grown as a houseplant. Stick your finger in soil and check out if the soil is still moist or not. Toxicity: Tradescantia spathacea ‘Tricolor’ contains sap that is toxic to pets. If you feel like the soil is still moist, you don’t need to water it. Flowers bloom throughout the year. Propagate by stem-cuttings, seeds or division. Watch for mealybugs, scale, whiteflies and spider mites. The plant needs high humidity and … Moses in the Cradle Toxicity. How to take tradescantia pallida (purple heart) cuttings. (15-30 cm) Spacing: 9-12 in. I guess it’s a good thing it’s a trailing plant that you can easily place out of reach of children and pets, on top of a shelf or hanging down the ceiling. Tradescantia Purple Heart is one of the easiest to propagate! I talk more about this subject in 7 factors that affect your houseplant watering frequency. You can also root your cuttings in water if you prefer. Foliage Color: Burgundy/Maroon. Linear leaves with purple undersides are arranged radially So, since I had mine outside on full sun all day long, I watered it pretty much every day, sometimes every 2-3 days. (22-30 cm) 12-15 in. Rot may occur if soils are kept too moist. Common name(s): Moses-in-the-Cradle; Family: Commelinaceae; Stem cuttings: yes; Leaf cuttings: no; Root cuttings/runners: no; Time: the year round At this point, a bit of water every two weeks will be plenty. At some point, you will need to prune it back. 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