Tradescantia
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- trad-es-KAN-tee-uh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Spiderwort is a native herbaceous perennial of 75 species of wildflowers. It is native from southern Canada to South America. They have become naturalized throughout the world. Generally, they are weakly upright plants that grow in clumps in woodland areas and open fields. T. virginiana is native to parts of NC. Many trailing houseplants are in this genius.
Provide perennial plants with protection from the afternoon sun in NC. Use in perennial beds of native and pollinator gardens. Tropical forms can be used as houseplants and in hanging containers.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Container Garden with Epiphytes Sun and Shade Demo Garden, Buncombe County Pollinator Garden- Partial Shade Container Garden with Epiphytes Flower Bonanza Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Purple Profusion', 'Sweet Kate'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Purple Profusion', 'Sweet Kate'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Tradescantia
- Family:
- Commelinaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native American tribes used Virginia spiderwort for various food and medicinal purposes.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada, U.S.A., South America
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Horizontal
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Prostrate
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- 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:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4b, 4a, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12b, 12a
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are often 3 petaled in white, blue, purple and pink
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Variegated
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves can be from green narrow and grass-like to purple and variegated oval leaves
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Hanging Baskets
- Houseplants
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
