Hello...I've been monitoring your forum for a while and have found it quite interesting and useful. Thanks! I now have a question of my own. I recently received some indoor plant cuttings from a friend, and alas, she does not know what they are. I identified one as Tradescantia pallida (first photo), but a second plant cutting she gave me is trickier (second photo). It seems to be a Tradescantia, but I can't figure out the species. It lacks the pubescence of T. pallida, but has the same colors, albeit duller (green topside, purplish underside of leaves), and growth habit (leaves clasping stems). This plant also seems to have much smaller leaves and stems than T. pallida. Anyone have an idea? Thanks!
it looks like it is the same plant as the first .. it is just lacking the light .. it needs more sun and it will change to that purple .. these ones do get like that if they do not get enough sun .. so just stick it in a brighter window ..and you will see it change...
the lack of sun will just fade that plant .. they are just funny plants that way .. im pretty sure you give that plant more sun and it will change .. ive seen it happen ..
I have both of these plants. Believe it or not the non-hairy one is Tradescantia spathacea (Moses-in-a/the-boat/cradle, Oyster Plant). The other one is as you say with 'Purpurea' tacked on the end of the name.
If grown as a houseplant with little light, your T. spathacea will look like a vine. That's what mine looked like for the first few years I had them. :) If given more sunlight & regular water, the leaves will grow larger & more compact on a thicker stem & even stand upright (to a point) with pale purple undersides. If grown outside...even in the ground...as I do (I don't expect you would though), the leaves will take on an even darker purple undersides of the leaves & the leaves will be stiffer & stick up into the air (as you see most often in pix online & in books).
I have not seen flowers on mine, but I haven't checked the ones I grow outside in the ground (which I think have the best chance of flowering).
Hope this helps with your mystery. It was one for me for several years!
Wow, Rosemarie, thanks for this detailed explanation. I wondered about the hair differences between both plants. You're also right about the online pix...most are shots of outside plants and it gets hard using the Internet as a way to ID the houseplant version. Much appreciated!
p.s. After doing a search using the plant name you gave, I found an old UBC thread with almost this exact discussion ...sorry for the repeat! :)
