I recently adopted this plant from somewhere where it wasn't loved very much. I posted it before and everyone kept telling me wandering jew or wandering sailer but this plant I know is not. Its leaves are very squishy, like they have gel in them, and they are extremely shiny. i have a feeling this plant leans more toward the succulent end of things and its very picky. med light no direct sun or it browns easily. It likes to dry out completely before its watered again and if this means anything my cat can't get enough of it so it must not be poisonous because she is still alive. Thank you for your help!
I still think it is apt to be Tradescantia fluminensis. See the preceeding link for a description. Note where it says it is a 'succulent herb' with 'shiny light-dark green leaves'. There are many different species of Tradescantia that have been lumped together under the common name 'wandering jew' even though they are very different species with different attributes of color and foliage. The flower structure should be similar though and the typical leaf structure is much the same, albiet in this case the leaves are shiny and smaller than in other varieties. You will also note on the following page that it is listed as a pet-safe plant albeit for birds but also found references as it being safe for pets and children.
Having said all the above there is still a possibility of mistaken identity and if that is the case, I'm sure someone will probably give you the correct identification here. But as nobody questioned the identification on the last go around other than yourself then I would think that this id is most probably the correct one. There are some true experts that habituate this forum. Much better than I in am at plant ID, in any case. But as with all identification from photographs there is always the chance that we are all mistaken. But if you are still in doubt, the other option is to take it to a reputable local nursery or master gardener and see what they have to say. I would be very curious, if it turned out to be something else.
Harry
Last edited by wrygrass; March 9th, 2006 at 09:23 PM.
Hmm...Kelly, I can see why you aren't happy with this ID. This particular plant is one my mom had my entire childhood and I'm very familiar with it. And when I look through all the pictures of T. fluminensis that I find in a google image search, I see a lot of variability and none that look exactly like this plant.
But when the experts here make a plant ID, they're not just looking at how similar it looks to a plant they know. They're looking at things like how the leaf attaches to the stem, how the veins run, how the flower is structured, etc. And this plant has many characteristics that strongly resemble other plants in the Tradescantia genus. So even if none of us have the exact right ID, chances are it's pretty close.
One thing, I've never seen this plant bloom. And most of the pics I saw of T. fluminensis (and the synonym T. albiflora) show a characteristic white bloom. So I'm inclined to think it's another member of the vast and diverse Tradescantia family. But I'm not an expert and have no better suggestion.
And by the way, Tradescantias are often quite juicy. When you break the stem, they often ooze a slimy juice.
I got this plant from a college greenhouse that was trying to clean its stock out. and i went there for 2 years and I asked the prof. that has been teaching there for 6 and he said it has never flowered. But then again look at the poor thing it has not been very well taken care of.
The left hand picture appears to have three flower buds center left. If that is indeed what they are, when they bloom you will probably have your answer. Also have you seen it bloom and if so, what color were they? You might have to protect it from your cat to see them. :) I guess your post anwers the question. No blooms.
Harry
Last edited by wrygrass; March 9th, 2006 at 10:54 PM.
One of the websites also said that T. fluminensis was a bothersome weed in greenhouses. It tends to root easily from the nodes. So that doesn't seem like it would be something they would keep around for any length of time. Or something they would sell, to the unwary buyer. But then what better way to get rid of a weed than to sell it as a houseplant. :) Not only do you get rid of the weed but you earn a little for the plant fund in the process. And of course weeds seem to multiply without much help so you have unending supply. In any case it probably is something else. You might ask the Prof what he thought it was called.
I asked him when I took it if he knew what it was and he did not. It wasn't a sale they just gave everything away because they were getting a cement floor and were going to start new with hydroponics. I think all together i took around 20 plants. I'm always willing to get new plants.
well i will say that it IS a wandering jew plant... exactly what kind im not sure but it is in that family .. wandering jews are one of the easiest and fastes to root just need to touch some moistness and they root .. i know i have a few diff kinds of them .. just keep looking on the net and you will find it .. there was one i had that took forever for me to find the name of it .. they love morning sun
I have these as well. And they grow and grow. You can take cuttings and let them sit for weeks and they never shrivel or die. The person who gave me my first cuttings of it knew the name but I don't remember what he said it was called and that was almost 10 years ago. From what it looks like it's a wandering jew of some sort.
As for light and water....they like moisture but will thrive under dryer conditions as well. I've had mine in full sunlight: They change color but never have burned. The more light they get the faster and fuller they grow. They don't do as well in less light. They get to looking scraggly. Don't ya just love those gardening terms? LOL!
