Boat Lily Tradescantia spathacea

Boat lily is a tropical sculptural herbaceous perennial plant in the Commelinaceae family.  Boat lily is 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 other bromeliads. 

Typically grown as a houseplant, it can be in a patio plant that is brought inside during cold winters. Plant in well drained potting media and give it plenty of bright indicret light. When the plant does not receive enough light it may stretch out and become more lanky or its purple leaves may revert back to green.  If kept outdoors in the summer provide it with afternoon shade. Allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings and cut back on the water during the winter months. 

This easy to grow plant will bloom at any time of the year and it is easy to propagate through stem cuttings, division, or through seed.

Grow this as a houseplant or in a container that can be moved inside when there is the threat of frost.  This is the only member of the Tradescantia that grow upwards instead of down so it will not work in a hanging basket.  In zones 9 and higher, it can grow outdoors where it will form a dense mat groundcover but beware because it naturalizes easily. 

Quick ID

• Linear leaves with purple undersides are arranged radially
• Flowers are axillary, white, inside pair of boat-shaped bracts

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: In warm climates it has shown very weedy tendencies.