Are you seeking a low-maintenance plant that boosts the beauty of your homes or gardens with potential health benefits?
Table of Contents Show
Top Oyster Plant Health Benefits
Oyster plant (Tradescantia spathacea), commonly known as Mosses-in-the-cradle is a herb belonging to the family Commelinaceae.
Furthermore, this plant is a better choice for indoor and outdoor cultivation.
Besides, as an ornamental plant, this plant possesses other various benefits that are listed below.
1. Air Purification
Oyster plants are well known for their air-purifying ability.
Furthermore, these plants can remove the harmful toxins present in the air, including Formaldehyde, and Xylene.
2. Low-maintenance
These are low-maintenance plants that are easy to care for and do not demand a lot of requirements.
You can simply provide a temperature of 55-65°F, a well-draining potting mix, and a balanced fertilizer every 4-6 weeks.
3. Skin health
Leaf decoction of Oyster plants is useful in the treatment of skin burns, wound healing, and insect bites.
Furthermore, the leaf extracts of Oyster plants have soothing effects that treat minor skin irritations.
4. Anti-inflammation
The anti-inflammatory compounds in this plant help to prevent allergic reactions from occurring in our bodies.
Additionally, you can apply leaf juice, or plant sap to the inflammations and feel better.
5. Antioxidant activities
Phenolic compounds present in the Oyster plants help prevent the formation of free Oxygen radicals which initiate the formation of tumor cells in humans.
Additionally, you can prepare extracts or add them to your diet and take benefits from them.
6. Gastrointestinal disorders
This plant helps inhibit gastrointestinal disorders occurring in your body.
Similarly, this plant contains fibers that help to relieve gastrointestinal defects including Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Top Oyster Plant Disadvantages
Although Oyster plants have a lot of aesthetic and medicinal benefits, they do have some drawbacks too.
Some of the major disadvantages of the Oyster plants are mentioned below.
- Toxicity: The Oyster plants contain Calcium oxalate crystals, that can cause some allergic reactions, including diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. So, consult with a medical person or a botanist before using the plant.
- Invasive potential: These plants can become invasive when cultivated outdoors. They spread in an uncontrolled way, replacing the native plants.
- Diseases and pests: The Oyster plant is susceptible to various pests and diseases, including Mealybugs, Spider mites, and leaf spots. However, you can inhibit their prevalence by spraying Neem oil.
- Aesthetic limitations: This plant is only attractive by its dark green foliage with purple or burgundy color on the underside.
From Editorial Team
Conclusion!
You can increase the population of the advantageous Oyster plants with the help of divisions, stem cuttings, and leaf cuttings.
However, remember to use sterilized equipment while cutting the plant parts to prevent the spread of microbial contaminations.
