Ohio Spiderwort
(Tradescantia ohiensis)
Native FAC
A beautiful addition to your native landscape is Ohio Spiderwort. Don’t let the name mislead you, Ohio Spiderwort is native to Florida and is a lovely flowering plant despite is odd name. (The name “spiderwort” refers to its historical medicinal use for spider bites.)
Spiderwort has wonderful silvery grass-like foliage with brilliantly blue tri-lobed flowers. Though the flowers themselves are short-lived, blooming in the early morning and fading by afternoon, the plant will flower for a few months in early spring. Once common on wetland margins and ditchbanks, Ohio spiderwort is making a comeback in native landscapes. A native perennial plant about 2 feet in height with sprawling grassy foliage. This spiderwort prefers moist areas but will survive periods of drought. It will bloom nicely in full sun to part shade.
