subject: Malibu Lighting Companion [print this page] Who knows this plant by its botanical name? It is the one called "Moses in the bullrushes," "Moses in the cradle," etc. For some time I could not find out what it really was, but one day while looking through a book on "Plants of the South Pacific," I saw a sketch of my identical plant right there and the name of it.
It said it is a wild plant away down there, but I do not find it mentioned in "Gray's Botany of Field and Forest." But the other book says it is a member of the Spiderwort family or Tradescantia group. It also is mentioned in a Garden Encyclopedia. It has thick grass-like leaves almost 2 inches broad, purple underneath and is quite interesting as the cradles with small white flowers in them are formed at the base of the leaves and resemble a baby in a cradle, hence the name.
I find these cradles form readily if the plant is doing well and the white flowers finally dry up and turn to small bulblets which when taken off and planted grow into new plants. But at first for some time I did not have any luck with them, but recently the little plants are coming up thick. In fact, I have been using them as a ground cover around our malibu lighting.
One may readily see the resemblance to the spiderwort as they grow in a similar manner, with the flowers forming at the base of the leaves. But in this particular plant they grow in a cute little cradle about 2 inches long with sides to it; and the bottom of the cradle is fastened to the base with a sort of stem which makes the cradle loose so it may be moved about, yet holds on.
The little bulblets seem to have a handle or root extending to one side. I simply drop them in the pot near the mother plant and cover lightly and in due time they begin to grow into new plants which may be reset in other containers. If you want something different and interesting, why not try this unusual houseplant? It is easy to grow and unlike most others to be found elsewhere. I have tried to start it from leaf cuttings but they did not root, so the other way is better, as it works.
