Question
I don't know
I have this wildly growing plant that I don't know what it is. When I bought it in August it was 3 small green stalks; look at it now! It grows green, but when the leaves mature, they get a lavender underside. One friend thinks it is a Rhoeo, but it is neither compact nor as vividly colored. I have it facing an east window which it appears to like. It does not like too much water; it's lower leaves will yellow. It is happy with dry soil. Please help me identify, also , should I remove the trellis and let it fall over? It appears too heavy to do that, but I don't know if that's how it should be growing?
AnswerDear Tammy,
I think this could be one of the longer leaved varieties of Tradescantia in which case it should be trailing. If you decide to remove the trellis I would make sure that it is in either a clay pot which is heavier than plastic so the plant will not tip over or put it inside a pot cover to get the same effect. You could pinch out the growing tips to make it bushier. Have there ever been any signs of flowers, however small and insignificant they might be?
If you decide to leave it to grow as it is you are going to need a taller trellis.
My own gut feeling is that it should be trailing but too compromise you could release one or two of the long stems to trail down and see how they grow.
If it is not too heavy or cumbersome to carry why not take it to a garden centre and see if they can identify it for you?
I shall be very interested to know how you get on and what you decide to do.
Diana
