Plants with many weeks of attractive bloom and requiring little or no car are a boon to the busy gardener.
Common Spiderwort is such a plant, coming into bloom in late May or early June and, with some varieties, continuing until August or September.
Tradescantia Virginiana “Common Spiderwort”
Known botanically as Tradescantia virginiana, this beautiful, native perennial, found growing along roadsides and at the edge of wooded areas, is now offered by nurseries in several varieties with colors ranging from white, sky blue, rosy red, mauve, to deep purple—as well as in the delightful blue-purple of its native form.
Locally, common Spiderwort may sometimes be called widow’s tears or snake grass.
Notable Features
Common Spiderwort is a very hardy plant growing to 2’ feet in height, with long, ribbon-like leaves clasping an upright stalk and flowers produced in clusters at the ends.
It extends naturally from South Dakota through eastern Kansas and Arkansas, then east to New York and Virginia. However, it often escapes from cultivation and becomes naturalized far beyond its native range.
The individual flowers, one to two incites across, consist of three petals and six stamens. The rather prominent stamens are supported by feathery stalks or filaments, from which the common name, Spiderwort, is derived.
In some varieties, this high, feathery center is a contrasting color to the petals, greatly enhancing the beauty of the flowers.
Many Colors Of Varieties
Varieties offered by horticulturists include the following, most of which are somewhat shorter in height titan the original wild species:
- ‘Snowcap’—large flowers of pure white.
- ‘Purple Dome—brilliant purple flowers.
- ‘James C. Weguelin’—porcelain blue flowers from June until September.
- ‘Pauline’—rose-mauve flowers and a prolific bloomer.
- ‘Iris Pritchard’—white flowers tinted with violet and a rich violet feathery center.
- ‘Red Cloud’—brilliant, rosy-red, brightest of all varieties.
Easy-To-Grow Spiderwort
Common Spiderwort and the varieties require no particular care once established and have no insect pests. It may be planted in either autumn or spring. Put plants about 8” inches apart.
Seed of mixed varieties is available and may be sown in late fall or early spring while the soil is excellent. Softwood stem cuttings may also propagate Spiderwort.
Although Spiderwort does well in moist soil, it thrives in ordinary soil in either partial shade or full sun. The plant in the picture was found thriving with many others at the top of a dry clay bank, where it got full sun through most of the day.
Landscape Use
Large masses of one color, accented by a contrasting color, are always more effective in the flower border than small spots of color here and there.
For the most spectacular displays of Spiderwort, use it solidly in areas 3’ to 4’ feet across or more and contrasted by another perennial or shrub of different types of foliage and color of the flower.
When planted in partial shade, Spiderwort could be accented by hypericum, lemon daylily, or foxglove; in a more sunny spot, try it with yarrow, shasta daisy, or blanket flower. The common Spiderwort can also be used in the wild garden.
44659 by Herschel W. Weber