Common name: Spiderwort
Family: Commelinaceae, Spiderwort
Height x width: 18-24" x 18-24"
Growth habit: irregular upright clumps
Growth rate: moderate to fast
Foliage: alternate, linear-lanceolate, to 1" wide and 15" long, may be purplish, fleshy
Flowers: generally blue to purple, but may also be pink or white or red; open for a day, with many opening over a 4-6 week period; flower parts in 3’s; 1-3" across; early to mid-summer
Hardiness: zones 4-9
Soil: well-drained, tolerate wet to boggy but may flower less
Light: full sun, flowers less in part shade and less vigorous
Pests and Problems: botrytis blight or several insects, but seldom a problem
Landscape habit, uses: borders, moist areas, edges of woodlands
Other interest: native to Americas, named for famous 17th century English botanist Tradescant who first obtained the plants from Virginia, hence the scientific name; may also be called "dayflower" due to blooms open for a day
Other culture: in warm climates, plants decline after bloom in summer heat, cut back then and they usually reappear with new fall foliage and often bloom; in the north, cut back as well after flowering to keep plants from flopping and becoming straggly, and likewise they will return with fall growth and often bloom; divide every 2-3 years to rejuvenate
Propagation: division in spring or fall, about 3 years to bloom from seed
Species: of the several temperate species, many native to the central U.S., only virginiana is commonly seen and is the one described above; the specific epithet x andersoniana is often erroneously applied to cultivars of this species and to the species itself; related tropical species are found as indoor plants
Cultivars: those are often more commonly seen in U.S. commerce
with those marked * more common, and are generally hybrids found listed
under virginiana
| Cultivar | flowers | other |
| ‘Bluestone’ | mid-blue | |
| ‘Carmine Glow’ | carmine | |
| ‘Concord Grape’ | purple | relatively new |
| ‘Innocence’ | creamy white, large | |
| ‘Iris Pritchard’ | white, violet tint | |
| ‘Isis’ | blue, 3" across | good blue cv. |
| ‘J.C. Weguelin’ | blue, 2.5" across | vigorous |
| ‘Joy’ | purple | new, domed habit |
| ‘Leonora’ | violet-blue | 18" tall |
| ‘Little Doll’ | light blue, 4-6 weeks | compact |
| ‘Osprey’ | white, large blue stamens | |
| ‘Pauline’ | lilac, 2-2.5" wide | |
| ‘Purple Dome’ | purple | 2’ tall |
| ‘Purple Profusion’ | purple | narrow leaves, compact, new |
| *‘Red Cloud’ | rosy red | 2’ tall |
| ‘Rubra’ | red | |
| *’Snowcap’ | white, 2.5-3" wide | |
| var. caerulea plena | dark blue, double | |
| *’Zwanenburg Blue’ | deep blue, 3" wide |
©Authored by Dr. Leonard Perry, Professor, University of Vermont as part of PSS123 course.
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