Wandering Dew/Jew - anybody got one?

[swiperfox]

We bought one today thinking it would grow into a tall plant but just looked it up and it says it grows along the ground or trails from a basket - any ideas?

I think Wandering Jew may be a nickname applied to more than one plant. I know it as a houseplant, Tradescantia, which often has variegated leaves, and is trailing. It's very common and easy to propagate by breaking bits off. If yours isn't obviously trailing, you might have something else.

I've propagated my plant from only a few stems, I just placed it in water. Although I do have a few problems with this plant, it is very very thirsty, and the leaves turn brown easily. Mine trails at around 3 ft.

At the moment its only little - about 5" tall and pointing upwards with leaves growing from the middle. The leaves are rabbit ear shaped and very purple underneath. The guy in the shop said it's from the wandering jew family and one of the customers said its a trandescantia - all of which mean nothing to me!!!

Yep, sounds like mine, tradescantia and wandering jew is the same plant, just different names.

Thank you