An Oyster Plant ‘climbing’ up a tree!
4 Mar
In Singapore, we are familiar with the oyster plant as it both a popular ornamental and medicinal plant. It is quite a common sight in our local wet markets to see bundles of leaves of this plant being sold. They are boiled in water and believed to have “cooling” properties. Some people grow it in their home gardens too and is popular among the Chinese where you can spot several pots of this plant being grown along the corridor in our highrise apartments.
The oyster plant is also a common landscape plant. The succulent, sword-like leaves are green on top and purple underneath and are arranged around a rosette pattern. The latter colour adds interest and contrast to a largely green landscape of plants. The oyster plant likes to be grown in shade and it must have good drainage at its roots, otherwise it is liable to rot. Don’t be surprised to see the plant falling apart when it is grown in waterlogged areas.
It has another interesting English name ’Moses in a Cradle’ which arises from the small white three-petaled flowers (Moses) are produced within the boat-shaped purple bracts (the cradle) nestled between the leaf axils.
All along, I have regarded this plant as a terrestrial as we often see it being potted up or grown in the soil. I was surprised to see a couple of plants growing on the trunk of an old rain tree (Samanea saman) located within the grounds of my university. I am pretty sure that the oyster plants that are perching on the trunk did not climb up on their own. Someone must have mounted them up there. The attempt has been successful as these oyster plants, which have adopted an epiphtyic growth habit on the trunk, surely look happy and healthy.
Whatever the case, this epiphytic colony of oyster plants looks kind of odd since I am so accustomed to seeing them being planted in the ground. But come to think of it again, it can be regarded as another a unique way of displaying oyster plants. Time to think out of the box!!!
The rain tree trunk that has some oyster plants growing on it.
Close-up of the colony of epiphytic oyster plants.
Tags: Moses in a Cradle, Rheo discolor, Trasdescantia spathacea
Wilson Wong
Thanks for pointing this out. When I saw the title of this article, my first thought was the rain tree along the road roughly opposite the campus sports facilities) – the only place where I have seen Tradescantia spathacea being grown in this way.
When I first came upon these plants many years ago, I actually did a double-take & went closer to scrutinise them. Agree that they must be mounted onto the trunk (tree holes & ledges), but it was very nicely-done, so don’t they look just right at home there ?
Have you observed them spreading epiphytically on the tree ? Judging from your photos, the clump looks around the same size as I remembered whenever I passed by that stretch. Perhaps the creeping/hanging Tradescantia spp. would be able to spread more easily. I haven’t seen these being grown directly onto a tree before, but I find it possible to let them creep/climb along flat-face media (eg. peat blocks … I think rockwool slabs will do as well). The latter had been placed vertically, such that it rather resembles a tree trunk surface.
Hi Pat,
Thanks for your comment.
This clump of Tradescantia spathacea is located opposite the tennis courts, to be exact. You are also quite right to mention that they have been staying roughly the same size all this while.
The creeping Tradescantia, T. pedula, you mentioned, may not be able to make it if no one waters them during prolonged dry weather, in the same setting, that is, on a tree trunk. Tradescantia spathacea is more succulent and probably more able to withstand dry periods longer than the viny, thin T. pedula.
Nevertheless, it is a good suggestion for a dense tropical garden where there is regular irregulation or misting. It will really look more at home on a tree trunk than T. spathacea.
Wilson
Very interesting about oyster plants. I have a few clusters growing about my landscapes. A couple are growing in an ‘island’ area behind some ti plants and a robellini (sp?) palm, while I have some others growing along our front entry walkway where they receive the full effect of Florida sun. They got nipped by frost in Jan. and Feb. – yes, we were surprised and appalled too – but they made a comeback with a little coaxing.
It’s challenging because the way our property is oriented, I have very few locations that offer partial sun. If a plant prefers full sun or full shade, it will be very happy in my yard.
Didn’t realize though that oyster plants could be coaxed to grow on trees. What an interesting idea!