Tradescantia (12cm pot)

You have probably encountered this plant at some point under one of its many common names: inch plant, wandering jew, spiderwort, moses-in-the-basket, purple heart, or Indian paint. Like most of our terrarium and house plants, this one is a range of species rather than just one although care requirements are very similar across the whole group.

With fleshy stems that easily root whenever they touch a suitable surface this plant spreads easily and makes a good trailing vine rather than a climber. It likes medium to bright light, although the more red and purple pigments in the leaves the more light it likes, and in common with most plants with this sort of stem it will rot at the base if kept with its feet in the water.

It’s a native of the new world between southern Canada and northern Argentina, so as well as the tropical forms that are suitable for the terrarium there are species that will grow in your garden!

If you’re lucky, it will even flower in the terrarium. 

This is ok to use with herbivorous reptiles.