Subject: Re: Tradescantia [Setcreasea] pallida

From: "Sean A. O'Hara" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 95 17:13:24 PDT

> From: [email-masked]
> Newsgroups: rec.gardens
> Subject: Re: Tradescantia pallida
> Date: Fri, 24 Mar 95 19:07:05 -0500
> Mary E Martin <[email-masked]> writes:
> >I have looked through many catalogs (30+) for seeds or plants of 
> >Tradescantia pallida or 'Purple Heart' with no success.
> >Can anyone suggest a source for this plant.  
> >I have not seen it here in my area (zone 5) but a friend of mine
> >would like to grow it - even if it needs some special attention for the 
> >winter.
>  
> I don't know where you can get it, because mine was given to me by a
> neighbor, but I've grown it here in zone 5 with no problem or special
> attention during the winter.  I've divided it a number of times, and
> given it to my friends, and no one has had any problem with it in zone 5.
> I'm about half way between you and Boston, right on the shore, so I'm sure
> if you got some it could be easily grown.
>  
> Roberta Misuraca

Mary & Roberta - 

The plant you are talking about is actually Secreasea pallida (Tradescantia
is an old name) - perhaps this is helpful in finding it.  I do see it
listed in a catalog from Glasshouse Greenhouse Works (Church Street, P.O.Box
97, Stewart, OH 45778-0097; 1(614)662-2142), an outfit that carries all
sorts of wonderful and interesting plants for indoor and outdoor growing.
Here is a bit of text I had in my plant database for this plant:

"The striking leaves of Setcreasea pallida 'Purple Heart' combine
beautifully with the orange and red flowers of a lantana against the
background of Gomphrena and blue Salvia [farinacea].  Setcreasea is a
tried-and-true perennial where summers are hot and humid and winters
are mild and wet [photo caption]. . .  We've also fallen in love
with a sprawling tropical looking plant called S. p. `P. H.'.  We
grow it for its long, purple, strap-like leaves, which combine
wonderfully with silver foliage plants.  The unassuming pink flowers
are an extra treat." Designs for Heat, Jimmy & Becky Stewart, Fine
Gardening, Nov/Dec 1992

I've often tried to grow this beauty, first made aware of it during some
studies of the late Roberto Burle-Marx's Brazilian lanscapes - he used
great masses of it planted in abstract, curved plantings around other bold
and dramatic plantings.  Unfortunately, the mollusks of our area find it
particularly delectible and munch it rather badly.  I'm starting to gain the
upper hand in this area so perhaps it's time to try it again!
 
 H O R T U L U S   A P T U S  ('gardens', 'suited to their purpose')
 Sean A. O'Hara
 710 Jean Street, Oakland, CA  94610-1459        [email-masked]
 (510) 987-0577