Description

Tradascantia virginiana, Virginia Spiderwort, Native Bare Root Perennial

Attractive Flowers:
Average-Dry soil:
Average well-drained soil:
Average Wildlife Value:
Beneficial Insects:
Butterflies:
Clay Soil – High clay content, fine texture:
Cut Flower:
Deer Resistant:
Drought tolerant:
Erosion Control:
Full-Part Sun (6+ hours of sun):
Groundcover:
Hummingbirds:
Loamy Soil – mostly silt, sand, some clay:
Native to Coastal Regions:
Native To Mountain Regions:
Native to Piedmont Regions:
Organic soil – high level of decayed leaves, bark:
Part Sun-Part Shade :
Perennial:
Pollinator support:
UPL – Almost never occur in wetlands:
Woodland flower:

Native Range: Eastern United States
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 1.50 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 1.50 feet
Bloom Time: May to July
Bloom Description:

• Blue to violet-blue
• rarely rose or white

Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Tolerate:

• Clay Soil
• Wet Soil
• Black Walnut

Tradescantia virginiana is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial which grows up to 3′ tall. Violet-blue to purple, three-petaled flowers (.75-1.5″ diameter) accented by contrasting yellow stamens open up, a few at a time, each for only one day, from terminal clusters (umbels) containing numerous flower buds. Flowers bloom in succession from late May into early July. Arching, iris-like, dark green leaves up to 1′ long and 1 inch wide are folded lengthwise forming a groove. When the stems of spiderworts are cut, a viscous stem secretion is released which becomes threadlike and silky upon hardening (like a spider’s web), hence the common name. An interesting and long-blooming perennial for native plant gardens, woodland or shade gardens, wild gardens, or naturalized areas. Also can be grown in borders, but mid-summer foliage decline is a potential disincentive for this placement.