Sounds like they both need more light. Any way you can post pictures?

Nancy

This is the Moses.

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.

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.

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.
BC is a succulent that needs very bright to direct sun. A bright south or west is perfect, and if possible, outdoors in summer.

My Moses/Rhoeo was started as a cutting in the 90's. Over time it grew upright. 3-4'.
One summer, outside it went. One windy day, my poor Moses fell and broke.

I ended up taking cuttings, 'like Blue Chalk,' rooted individually, in seperate pots.
A few years later, I gave two or three cuttings to friends. By then they were mature plants.

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.
Moses/Rhoeo grow seed pods.

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.
Moses in the Cradle is usually deep purple with gold striping. Leaf underside, purple, front/top leaf is purple and gold.

Do you want your Rhoeo to grow more compact? Toni

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.

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.

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.

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.

Purple, yes the branches are coming out of the main stem.

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.

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?
If you get a chance, check it out. On the left side of the screen it asks if you want Scientific or Common names.
Click on Scientific.
The alphabet will be shown. Click on the letter R then scroll down until you see Rhoeo Spathacea (Moses in the Boat/Oyster Plant) Click there.

The heading reads in BOLD, Moses in the Boat, Oyster Plant.
Under the heading are scientific and synonym names.

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.
It's all over the place.

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!
Leaves are three times larger too. What a difference! Toni

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.

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

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?