A Native Wonder - Spiderwort
Spiderwort
(Tradescantia), a native wildflower here
in Virginia, is not a plant that all gardeners enjoy.
However, if the old adage “A child with many
names is a
well-loved child” is true, then Spiderwort is certainly a
well-loved
child! Cow Slobber,
Indian Paint,
Widow’s Tears, Moses in the Bulrushes and Trinity Flower are
all common names
for this plant.
If you’re a gardener that strolls your gardens in the evenings, this is definitely not the plant for you. Spiderwort blooms only in the morning. It does however bloom profusely throughout June and July and sometimes will bloom until frost but like daylilies the individual flowers bloom only for one day. Wilder varieties of this plant can be somewhat invasive and it readily self seeds but I’ve never had a problem. This may be because I don’t keep them moist enough, which is just as well since I don’t really want it taking over my garden. Once the blooms on this plant are pollinated they get “runny” and look as if they are melting which is where the name Widow’s Tears comes from.
Spiderwort
was named after John Tradescant who was the royal
gardener for King Charles I. Tradescant's son
brought it back from Virginia in the 1600s and it quickly became a
favorite in
English gardens. This
native plant of
the Commelinaceae family can be found growing in meadows, along
roadsides and
on forest edges. It
is a perennial and
grows in zones 5-9. It
reaches a height
of 1-2 feet and the three-petalled, gently scalloped blooms can be
found in
shades of purple,
white, blue, and red.
It is not fussy about soil but does like to be kept moist. I keep mine top dressed
with compost and
grow it in bright shade. The
close up
picture is of Tradescantia “Pauline”
and is my favorite. I
love the soft lavender color and the
slightly larger blooms on this variety.
The other picture is of Tradescantia “Concord
Grape” and is
commonly found in nurseries in our area.
I also have Tradescantia
“Snow Cap” (not pictured) which is
perfect for a white woodland garden.
Spiderwort is touted to grow under walnut trees where
little else grows
but I don’t own a walnut tree so haven’t given it a
try.
It’s not too hard to figure out how Spiderwort got it’s common name. Like most “worts” (from the Old English word wyrt meaning herb/root) it was used as a medicinal plant. It was thought to be a cure for spider bites. Additionally, if you snap a Spiderwort stem and pinch the gooey sap between two fingers, the sap creates web like strands. It has succulent grass like leaves that remind some people of spider legs.
The most amazing thing about Spiderwort though is its ability to monitor pollution such as pesticides, auto exhaust, herbicides, and radiation. It is extremely sensitive and will undergo mutations within days of exposure. It is often planted around nuclear and chemical plants as a way to monitor them for leakage. When researching this plant I read that Spiderwort is actually more sensitive than the equipment used to monitor radiation. So, it may not be the showiest of plants but it is certainly worth its weight in gold!