Spiderwort, a great perennial with tiny violet blooms...

Image from my garden July 13, 2009

About The Spiderwort

Spiderwort, a great sun perennial with slender blades of deep green foliage and tiny three petaled violet blooms. Did you know that the name Tradescantia comes from John Tradescant the Elder, the royal gardener to King Charles I of England.

The 'Sweet Kate', Tradescantia, emerges each spring with brilliant golden leaves, which turn a chartreuse color as the summer progresses. The brilliant golden foliage (brightest in full sun) is highlighted with a procession of deep royal blue flowers from late spring until fall.

If the flowering slows down, remember to deadhead this plant or better yet you can shear it down and it will re-grow and bloom all over again.

How To Grow The Spiderwort

While this perennial does prefer a sun location, it will tolerate some part shade. As well, if you have heavy clay soil (like I do), this is the plant for you. Add organic matter to the soil and watch it grow!

This plant is a vigorous grower as I have discovered. One summer our resident bugs ate one plant right down to a nub. Within a week the plant grew back beautifully. To stop bugs from munching I put a small plastic container of Coyote Urine beside the plant and thankfully bugs no longer feasts on my Sweet Kate.

This perennial is best if cut down in the fall, but if not, then make sure to remove all over-wintered leaves prior to new growth emerging in the spring.

Companion plant: Salvia Victoria Blue, Snapdragons, Stella D Oro or the Verbena.

Check out my Site Index Page for a listing of additional annuals and perennials to plant in your flower garden design.

Spiderwort Features

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