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boat lily | Plant Finder | Fill My Garden

Home/Plants/Roses

Plants > Roses

boat lily

Tradescantia spathacea

Genus: Tradescantia
Family: Commelinaceae
Common Names: Christ in the manger, cradle lily, men in a boat, Moses in his cradle, Moses in the bulrushes, Moses in the cradle, Moses on a raft, oyster plant, prayer plant, purple-leaved spiderwort, three men in a boat

About this plant

An evergreen perennial to 30cm, forming a clump of rosettes of narrowly lance-shaped, dark green leaves, deep purple beneath, to 30cm in length; axillary clusters of small white flowers with leaf-like purple bracts

Growing Information

Height

0.1-0.5 Metres

Spread

0.1-0.5 Metres

Hardiness

H1B

Foliage

Evergreen

Growing Conditions

Sunlight

Full SunPartial Shade

Soil

SandyLoam

AcidAlkalineNeutral

Not Currently Available

This plant is not currently stocked at any garden centres on our platform.

Moisture

Poorly DrainedWell Drained

Aspect

East FacingWest FacingNorth FacingSouth Facing

Exposure

Exposed

Care Guide

Cultivation

Undemanding easy to grow houseplant or for summer outdoor displays planted in fertile, free draining soil. Direct sunshine may scorch the leaves. Indoors grow in bright filtered light, planted using houseplant, multipurpose or peat-free John Innes 2 loam based compost. When in active growth water moderately and liquid feed monthly. Reduce watering in winter.

Pruning

Remove faded flowered stems

Propagation

Propagate by taking stem tip cuttings or by division

Pests

May be susceptible to red spider mite, mealybug, aphids and glasshouse thrips.

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Garden Uses

Uses

ArchitecturalPatio Container

Planting Places

Gravel GardenConservatory

Season of Interest

SpringSummerAutumnWinter

Size & Characteristics

Height

0.1-0.5 Metres

Spread

0.1-0.5 Metres

Habit

Clump Forming

Time to Full Height

Two To Five Years