Tradescantia virginiana L.

Virginia Spiderwort

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Virginia Spiderwort is a native perennial in the Spiderwort family (Commelinaceae). It is found throughout Alabama, but is most common in the northern half of the state. Virginia Spiderwort is found in mesic hardwood forests, in alluvial woods and along streams, in fields, and on roadsides. It is a perennial with a fibrous root system. The roots are thick and fleshy. Stems are erect and from 1-2 feet in height. The stems are succulent, unbranched, glabrous, and green in color. When broken, the stems emit a clear mucilaginous sap. The leaves are sessile and spirally arranged. The leaf sheath when opened and flattened is equal to or wider than the leaf blade. Leaf sheaths are glabrous except for long hairs along their margins. The leaves are linear lanceolate in outline, glabrous or puberulent, with long cilia on the margins near the base. Flowers are produced in terminal umbels of long pedicillate flowers that are subtended by two leaf-like bracts. The pedicels are pilose or puberulent. Each flower has 3 green sepals and 3 blue petals. The sepals are long pilose on their outer surface. The 6 stamens have bearded filaments. The flowers last for one day or less on hot sunny days. The fruit is a capsule. Virginia Spiderwort is available from nurseries. It can also be grown from cuttings or large clumps can be separated. Virginia Spiderwort prefers a moist, organic soil with partial sun to full shade. Plants can become weedy in the garden.--A. Diamond

**

Native

**