Color:

Spiderwort

Tradescantia virginiana

Perennial

Three-petaled flowers in blue, purple, or pink. Native American wildflower. Each bloom lasts one day. Grass-like foliage. Symbol of fleeting beauty. Morning bloomer.

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Habitat

Temperate

Where to Buy

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Perfect For

Wedding

Care & Vase Life

Stays fresh for 3 to 5 days

when properly cared for

Each flower lasts only one day, but buds continue opening

Cut stems with many unopened buds

Use cool water and keep in shade

Best enjoyed briefly - very short-lived as cut flower

Each flower lasts one day but new ones open

Change water daily

Lasts 5-7 days with new blooms

Keep cool

Fragrance Profile

No Scent

Spiderwort has no fragrance

Fun Facts

Named for the stringy, web-like sap that emerges from cut stems

Each flower lasts only one morning, closing by afternoon

Used by scientists to detect radiation - cells show mutations quickly

Native Americans used it to treat insect bites and as a laxative

Origin & History

Native to North America

Native to North and Central America, spiderwort was sent to England in the 1620s by John Tradescant, royal gardener to Charles I. The genus Tradescantia honors him. Despite each flower lasting only hours, the continuous bloom over months made it a garden favorite on both sides of the Atlantic.