Tradescantia
Found in almost all counties of Virginia, spiderwort is both a native wildflower and a commonly cultivated garden plant. The plants can grow up to about two feet tall. Sometimes you will find them growing singly, but most often they occur in large clumps that look like tall, wild grass. The flowers bloom at the top of the stems and arise a few at a time from round clusters of buds.
The flowers of spiderwort last only one day, typically opening when the sun hits them and then staying open for just a few hours. The next day new flowers open.
The flower consists of three petals, which can be blue, purple, pink or white, but most commonly blue. There are six, bright yellow anthers that stand out against the blue/purple background of petals. The stamens are hairy– often conspicuously so.
Bloom time is May-June: this is a cool-season plant that does well in moist soil and partial shade. Spiderwort plants go semi-dormant during the heat of summer.
