Species Moses-in-a-basket

Moses-in-a-basket

Tradescantia spathacea 'Vittata'

Moses-in-a-basket is an exquisite plant belonging to the Tradescantia family. Its delicate pink and white striped leaves grow up to 20 cm in length, clustering around the stems. These foliage clusters are famously housed in a woven basket made of slender grasses which are meant to resemble a basket resting atop a pool of water. Like its relative, the Wandering Jew, Moses-in-a-basket is extremely easy to propagate, making it an ideal houseplant for even novice gardeners. It thrives best in moist and humid environments and can tolerate some direct sunlight, producing clusters of delicate lilac-blue flowers among its foliage.

Cycle:

Herbaceous Perennial

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Division,Stem Propagation,Leaf Cutting,Air Layering Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

9 - 11

Flowers:

White Flowers

Sun:

part shade,part sun/part shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green,pink,white

Growth Rate:

High

Maintenance:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Tropical:

Yes

Indoors:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Moses-in-a-basket plants prefer all day access to bright, indirect light but should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing season, but allow the top of the soil to dry out in between watering. During the summer months when the plant is actively growing, it will need to be watered more frequently, about every 5-7 days. For winter months, reduce the frequency of waterings to once every 10-14 days. If you can keep the humidity levels moderate, then you should only water when the top 2 inches of the soil are dry.

sunlight

Moses-in-a-basket plants thrive when exposed to bright, indirect sunlight throughout the day. The most ideal amount of sunlight for this plant species is 4 to 6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight per day. Direct exposure to the sunlight should be avoided, as this can lead to sunburn or bleaching of the plant's leaves. If there is not enough indirect sunlight available, then the Moses-in-a-basket can be supplemented with artificial fluorescent lighting for a few hours per day.

pruning

Moses-in-a-basket plants can be pruned to shape them into different styles. Pruning should be done moderately in early spring or late fall. During this time, you should use sharp, sterile pruners to remove up to 2-third of the plant’s stems leaving the strongest stems behind. Be sure to only prune healthy tissue and always discard any diseased or dead tissue. Also, prune at a 45-degree angle and avoid cutting any stems at ground level unless propagating.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

Tradescantia spathacea 'Vittata' typically starts flowering in late spring, usually in May or June.

Starts Flowering

Tradescantia spathacea 'Vittata' typically starts flowering in late spring, usually in May or June.

Hardiness Map