Need help! Moses-in-a-Basket, Boatlily, Oyster Plant

I received a beautiful potted plant which has thrived on the shady back porch all summer. However, I left it out for several nights in the 40's and also allowed some water to collect on the leaves after sraying with the hose. Half a dozen of the leaves are limp and beginning to tear away from the trunk. I've already removed three leaves. This is causing gaps along the trunk where it had been a symetrical plant.

I've now cleaned and dried the leaves and moved the plant indoors for winter. Will the wilted leaves recover? Should they be removed? Will the plant forever be asymetrical? Is there any way to encourage new leaves to sprout?

Thanks for any help from experienced growers!!

This plant is pretty tough. I have mine in an old letter tray half full of soil and stick it in a dim part of the basement for winter where it gets water maybe once a month unless it is absolutely hanging over from wilt. In summer I move it back outdoors where in a few weeks it is growing like a weed. I think yours will do great as long as you don't water it to death or let it dry out too much.

If you have pets, just beware of the reaction they can have if they come in contact with this plant: Here's the link to Plant Files for information on your plant: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/650/ They are grown as landscape plants here in some areas of Florida and I never knew about the dog allergy problems until reading the comments at the bottom of the page.

I have this plant in a pot on my front porch year round. It freezes every year. I pull off the dead leaves in Spring and it comes back. So I think you will find it an easy plant to grow.

Cactuspatch, do you cut it to the ground after it freezes? It seems it would be a prettier plant if it had leaves symetrically from the ground up. Here's a pic from today so you can see how it has lost several leaves in the med-section. I think there's one leaf up top that is new growth so I guess it is adjusting to being inside (moved it in four weeks ago) for winter. It was 28 degrees here last night. How much cold can it stand outside before freezing/wilting if up near the wall on a deep back porch on north side of house? It would be completely protected from weather and always in the shade. It was very happy there all summer but I thought it would get too cold in winter. I have two little Poodles so I am concerned about their finding it in the house. Thanks for writing!

It will probably start to sprout new growths from along the stem. You can cut it back if you want. My green one is small and is in dappled sun, the variegated is in as much sun as I can throw at it. If you cut it back you can remove the lower leaves from your cutting, then poke the stem part back into the soil to make a fuller display. The cutting will soon root and continue growing. The stem will sprout again and you will soon have a pot full of pretty moses in the boat.

Wow!! I had no idea!!! Thanks, 3js!!!

Oh, I am growing mine indoors so as much sun as I can throw is probably lots less than shady outside. The green seems tolerant of a little less sun. I can't wait til spring when they can get outside and prosper :).

yes I cut mine back to the ground and it always comes back.