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| I have been looking at pictures online for information about plants that I have. I have a Moses in the cradle and a blue chalk fingers succulent. My question/problem is, all the photos I look at these plants are a fuller type of plant. Mine are tall and thin. Am I doing something wrong?I just measured my blue chalk and it is from the top of the pot to the top of the plant 40". I have it tied to a dowel to keep it up because it is so heavy. There are a few offshoots that are approx 18" long. Should I have it hang down or keep it propped up? My Moses is approx 16" tall and I do the same thing with it. It's tied to a dowel to keep it standing otherwise it hangs over the pot. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by brodyjames 5 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 16, 12 at 18:56
| Sounds like they both need more light. Any way you can post pictures? Nancy |
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| This is the Moses. |
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| Here is the Blue Chalk. You might not be able to see it too well. My camera decided to die, so I couldn't get the lighting fixed. |
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| Hopefully this one is a better one of my Blue Chalk. |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Sun, Jun 17, 12 at 10:50
| I don't know anything about the other one, but the "Moses" (which is Tradescantia spathacea) is the tallest one I've seen. I recently got one of these plants, too, and most of the pics I've found searching show these plants outside, where they never seem to get much above ground level. Yours is the tallest one I've seen! I'd like to put it in a hanging basket if it will eventually "trail" but am still unclear on that. Well this couldn't be less helpful, but I wanted to compliment you on the height accomplishment! Plant looks healthy. I'm sure someone will soon come along and answer these questions. |
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- Posted by hopefulauthor z5IL (hopefulauthor@sbcglobal.net) on Sun, Jun 17, 12 at 11:34
| Hi Emi, Ironically, the same thing happened to my Blue Chalk, Rhoeo/Moses and a couple other plants. I got so tired of BC tipping over, plus it looked a little spindly, so I cut it back, placed the cuttings in the same pot as mom. 'Recently.' Now waiting to see if they root. My Moses/Rhoeo was started as a cutting in the 90's. Over time it grew upright. 3-4'. I ended up taking cuttings, 'like Blue Chalk,' rooted individually, in seperate pots. Anyway, since the Rhoeo fell, mom and babies spread wide instead of upwards. Well, it's somewhat upwards. I wonder if falling was a blessing. There are more of one plant, that's for sure. Does yours? I leave flowers/pods on the plant. The pods open and drop seeds, 'hundreds' and fall in the soil. Many germinate. Another reason my Moses is spread wide, compact. Actually, I like the look of your Rhoeo, however I think you have an Oyster Plant; same family as Moses in the Cradle: Commelinaceae. The only noticeable difference is Oyster has lighter colored leaves with quite a bit of pink. Pink, white and green. Do you want your Rhoeo to grow more compact? Toni |
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| Thanks purpleinopp! I'm just glad that they have survived. I was never "into" plants until recently. I grew up in a plant crazy family. They all started out in tiny 3" pots I bought one day on a whim. So I am happy with them, just confused as to why they are growing up. |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Sun, Jun 17, 12 at 16:51
| Toni, I'm confused if we think this is the same plant or not. Rhoeo has been renamed Tradescantia. I thought this looked just like my oyster plant, but TALL. |
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- Posted by hopefulauthor z5IL (hopefulauthor@sbcglobal.net) on Tue, Jun 19, 12 at 13:28
| Hi Purple, Don't know why they keep changing names, lol. According to desert-tropicals... Scientific Name: Rhoeo spathacea Synonym: Rhoeoe discolor, Tradescantia spathacea Family: Commelinaceae Emi's plant is Oyster, related to Moses in the Cradle/Bullrush. The differences, Moses are dark purple and green with stripe, and plain green, Oyster's are light pink, white and green. My Moses produce cradles/seed pods whereas my Oyster never has. It's possible my Oyster isn't getting proper care, etc, but it's in the same window, same soil, as Moses. Whatever the name, I still think of Moses as Rhoeo. lol. |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Tue, Jun 19, 12 at 14:28
| Emi, toni (hopefulauthor) said her plant was about 4 ft. tall at one point before it broke. Plants that stay inside all the time tend to have weaker stems/trunks because there is no wind to constantly battle. If you don't turn/rotate plants, they will lean toward the light. As I look at your pics again, I think I see branches starting to come from the main stem. Is it doing that? Toni, I'm feeling thick-headed but still don't understand what you are saying, sorry. Googled "moses plant" and just got more T. spathacea. Moses and Oyster seem to be used interchangeably as common names for the same plant. Are you talking about different-looking cultivars/versions of the same thing (T. spathacea?) It's double-duty trying to research a plant who's name has been changed. |
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| Purple, yes the branches are coming out of the main stem. |
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- Posted by tropicbreezent (My Page) on Wed, Jun 20, 12 at 1:40
| The stripes aren't as dramatic on my Moses, but the underleaf of mine are a darker purple. The reason plants outside don't look like they grow tall is that they fall over and most of the stem is laying on the ground. If you follow the stem back you'll find they can be quite long. Mine produce seed and there's always some seedlings around. |
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- Posted by hopefulauthor z5IL (hopefulauthor@sbcglobal.net) on Wed, Jun 20, 12 at 11:18
| Purple, LOL. First, my Moses grew about 3-feet, not 4'..Sorry, I exaggerated a bit, lol. Did you ever visit, desert tropicals dot com? The heading reads in BOLD, Moses in the Boat, Oyster Plant. If you go to Wikipedia, search Oyster Plant, it says, Tradescantia discolor, plus synonyms Tradescantia spathacea, Rhoeo spathacea, Rhoeo discolor. lol. Anyway, Moses and Oyster are in the Commelinaceae family. Although both Moses and Oyster are listed as the same plant, Oysters are much lighter in color. If you Google both names, images pop up. Some people call both plants, Variegated Moses, or Moses Tricolor. Purple, you know what? I don't understand either, lol. Tropicbreeze. When Moses are shipped from FL to nurseries/big box stores here in IL, Moses stripes are very pronounced. I notice vivid striping when my Rhoeos are summered outdoors. In shade!
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Wed, Jun 20, 12 at 14:22
| Sorry, I don't know how long ago the change was made, but that website may not be an authority on such matters, or may just leave it that way so people can find the daggone plant, which is supposed to be the point of names, not DNA sequences. USDA plants database has this entry Tradescantia spathacea If you type Rhoeo in the search box, it takes you to the same page. |
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- Posted by hopefulauthor z5IL (hopefulauthor@sbcglobal.net) on Wed, Jun 20, 12 at 14:57
| Purple, I really don't know. DT's is supposed to be an official plant site, recommended by other websites. Maybe in this case, common names are best..lol. toni |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Wed, Jun 20, 12 at 16:52
| Ya, we all agreed on oyster - crazyness... Emi, that's cool! I like your plant a lot. Mine is (literally) looking up to it! The discussion kind of wandered, sorry. Not that *I* could answer them, but did you still have any questions? |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Wed, Jun 20, 12 at 16:52
| Ya, we all agreed on oyster - crazyness... Emi, that's cool! I like your plant a lot. Mine is (literally) looking up to it! The discussion kind of wandered, sorry. Not that *I* could answer them, but did you still have any questions? |
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