Spotted Widow's Tears Tinantia pringlei
Other Common Name(s):
- Description
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Spotted Widow's Tears is a mound-forming perennial native to Mexico in the spiderwort family. The attractive gray-green leaves are broadly lance-shaped and purple-spotted with wiry, purple stems bearing mauve to lavender three-petaled flowers from summer into autumn. It does best in part shade to part sun but tolerates full sun to full shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. It tolerates coastal conditions, various soil and pH types and deer generally will leave it alone.
Use this plant as a border, edging for woodland areas, naturalized areas or mass planted. The flowers are self-fertile and they will self-seed in the garden. Propagation can also be done by stem cuttings and division. In warm winter areas, it may be semi-evergreen to evergreen.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Panther"
- 'Panther"
- 'Panther"
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Panther"
- 'Panther"
- 'Panther"
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Tinantia
- Species:
- pringlei
- Family:
- Commelinaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- NE. Mexico
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 2 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Mounding
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Three petalled lavender-purple flowers at the end of branches
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Variegated
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Broadly lance-shaped leaves are gray-green with irregular purple splotches.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Wiry purple stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- English Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Diseases
