Tradescantia Spathacea ‘Compacta’

Tradescantia Spathacea ‘Compacta’ is a strappy-leafed evergreen perennial native to Mexico and Central America. Usually grown as a house plant. Rhoeo also makes an excellent and fast growing ground cover in the garden.

It is a tropical sculptural herbaceous perennial plant that works well in containers but must be brought inside during cold winters. It works well as a houseplant and desired for its unusual inflorescence and attractive foliage. Look for the purple underside of the leaf and the unusual bract-enclosed flowers to distinguish this plant from Bromeliads.

It blooms any time of year. Small, 3-petaled flowers grow in the leaf axils, nestled in the boat-shaped leaves. This is why it is called Moses in the Cradle, Moses in a Boat and Boat Lily.

Tradescantia is generally very easy to care and also one of those beautiful air purifiers. Most of the air purifying plants prefers shade, but Tradescantia can do well in both shade and sun. The colour of the foliage changes and becomes purple under direct sunlight. Cuttings can root very easily in water.