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Gardening in Oz

Rhoeo or Moses in the Cradle

21 years ago

I have tried unsuccessfully to grow this plant several times. Friends say it's easy to grow and it seems to be, yet mine always get smaller and smaller until they disappear.

I've tried it in dry areas and in moist areas, full sun and part shade.

I'm bamboozled - what am I doing wrong?

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Comments (14)

User
21 years ago
Hi topsi this website says it grows in the shade have a look at the link below.
Hope it helps Cheers MM.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rhoeo
cattuss
21 years ago
Hi
I grow mine in a pot under our so called patio which means it gets no sun, rain, wind etc. it gets watered by whatever is left in the teapot and it seems very happy. I have no idea how I am supposed to look after it so I guess ignorance is bliss in this case.
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Something's really wrong with my plant
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Comments (9)
Advice from a source suggests this plant "rhoeo" can take some adverse conditions; less than necessary moisture level, AND light that may be not from the best exposure. But I agree the look of the plant suggests it is in a bad way...and I think the pot changing was at the heart of the problem. Cassia, most houseplants like to be kept in pots where they can be root bound. Your persistence in re-potting to larger pots is going directly against the plant's wishes. When you thrust your plant's roots into the bigger pot, it had all that soil to take nutrition from ...nutrition it didn't need...it was getting enough out of the smaller pot. You forced it to feed....much like you sitting down to breakfast, lunch and dinner in one sitting and told you had to clean your plate. And then the same thing the next day, and the next and the next.....you did that to your plant. I'm afraid the picture says it all...your plant is probably past fixing but I suggest you get it back into the smaller pot and let it do what it will do in light as much as you can give it. Don't let it touch the window glass--its cold. Water to drainage and dump the excess, then let it dry down between. In the new pot, I wouldn't worry about not letting it grow what it will do at this time....go ahead, put fresh potting soil into it and water well. In another month or so, light values will return somewhat...and keep getting better as the days come. Cut back those brown ugly leaves--not necessarily remove the whole leaf if green can be seen but use scissors to clean it up. The pot should have something under the soil to keep the soil away from the drainage holes. Possibly your plant's soil plugged up the drainage holes and then root rot entered the picture. The plant must drain well and the excess water should not be allowed to sit in the saucer where it can be re-drawn back up to the roots. As the sun values return in February, let your plant remain in the high light source for a time....until well into May when you can draw it back somewhat...your plant likes bright light to low light so let it take what it will and see what happens.
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cuttings off of Moses in the cradle
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Comments (8)
Perhaps your friend will offer you two shoots? If so, root one in water, the other in soil. I've rooted both ways.. Because we're talking an unrooted cutting, place in a small pot. Slip pot in a plastic bag, with the top opened or slit. When watered, discard excess water that may leak in plastic. Roots should form anywhere between 2-3 weeks. I know a number of people who, when root cuttings, dig through soil to see if the cutting took. Don't do this. Disturbing roots only causes problems. Once you see new growth, remove plastic. BTW, plastic heats, especially in sun. Medium/bright light should do fine. I've rooted Moses/Rhoeos in north windows. But after roots formed, they went in brighter light. Good luck, they're beautiful plants with pretty cradle-like flowers/seeds. Toni
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moses in the cradle (rhoeo spathacea
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Comments (5)
Check the roots & see if they are OK. If they are rotten, you need to try & propagate it. Just dry it & stick it back in soil. You do not need rocks in your soil Â just dry & well draining soil. The rocks might humidify the plant, possibly contributing to excess root moisture. Local commercial growers stick pups/cuttings in sphagnum, but you may not have that in your country. Sometimes they die back with cool temps, & moving it towards a cool window might have caused that. I had problems with some of these plants until I found the right location. Mine have done best in a deep pot, bright light, & afternoon sun. They have seemed to suffer a bit with the cooler temperatures, but then they start putting out pups.
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Rhoeo
Q
Comments (3)
I wanted to go to your page and see where you are, to better answer your question--You don't Have a page! I think I would cut the leaves back, and trim it up. It will probably come back fine. If it came through your winter, It should do alright. I have to cover mine to protect it from the freezes we have in the Florida panhandle. I also have to trim the leaves in the spring.
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topsi
Original Author
21 years ago
It seems it is a shade-lover and doesn't require too much attention at all.

Thanks for your help, Mystymorn and Cattus. I've been given a bucketful of cuttings and I'm off out to find a shady place to try them again.
richardqld
21 years ago
it will gow in either sun or shade,the trick is dont over water.
CoralCoast_Tropicals
21 years ago
I use it extensively as a ground cover in full sun and semi shade areas. I find that it is very rampant and I take a trailer load to the dump every few months. It doesn't like boggy positions or areas that don't drain well. I have sandy loam soil so it grows very well no matter how much or how little water it receives.

Andrew.
topsi
Original Author
21 years ago
Well that's interesting because I've unsuccessfully grown it in well drained areas. Perhaps it's my soil. Anyway, I've planted a load of it in a semi shaded position, so I'll see how it goes.

Thanks for your help guys!

Coral Coast, perhaps you should pot that trailer load up. Down the road they are selling it for $6 and $10 per pot from a stand at their front gate!
Liatris
21 years ago
I have to admit - I brought some home about a month and a half ago, pulled up from a friends garden and plonked in a plastic bag - it's still in the plastic bag where I left it when I got home, and thriving!
mykian
21 years ago
I also have to admit that I have it in full sun, full shade and part shade and I cannot stop it growing. It seems to just keep growing and growing, it even grew in a crack in the concrete.
meryl2
21 years ago
it even grows all the way down in Sydney, in shade with the odd bit of dappled sunlight. I put it in the ground with some trepidation, expecting it to be rampant (it looks as if it's related to Wandering Jew/Creeping Jesus/insert your own prejudice here) but it just sits about looking healthy but not increasing much, probably because of the climate.
richardqld
21 years ago
It is related to wandering jew.
CoralCoast_Tropicals
21 years ago
Topsi,

I you are ever coming to Bundaberg let me know and I will give you a trailer load, just bring your trailer with you!
marrion
21 years ago
It grows well here in Tassie, I have 4 different colours 2 shades of purple, a blue and a white, they were gorgeous earlier and are still flowering into Autumn. Mine are in full sun. I dug out a clump and gave to a friend and it had new shoots everywhere, she said its growing well in her sandy soil - my soil is heavy so soil doesn't seem to be a problem, I do agree that they don't like wet feet so I have to be careful not to overwater it.
topsi
Original Author
21 years ago
Wow, thanks guys for your input. It seems to have no particular requirements judging by your comments, so I'm none the wiser as to why mine died. I have planted some more and ever since, it has bucketed here on the Sunshine Coast (three weeks of it, the place is like a soggy sponge) so this will be a real test for it!

So far, it looks fine.

Thanks Coral Coast for your offer, I'm almost tempted! I love the look of it planted enmasse. My partner's daughter lives on the Hummock so I do visit Bundy a couple of times a year.
walkabout
14 years ago
I've had good luck here in Perth with these in partial shade and full sun. As long as they get good drainage and some water in the summer, they're good to go! They get a bit weedy in our summer sun but seem to bounce back pretty quickly.

A gf gave me a small clipping of a deep, ALL PURPLE variety...and in the space of a year or two, I've now got it as ground cover in long beds by the pool (under the multiplex bamboo). They look very cool and striking. The hubby LOVES them!

BTW...I've never seen or heard of this all purple variety. Has anyone else out there seen them? I've got tons of cuttings for anyone out this way who's interested.

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