Spiderwort, Tradescantia

Spiderwort (Tradescantia) is a genus of roughly 70 species of perennial plants in the family Commelinaceae. Spiderwort is native to the New World from southern Canada south to northern Argentina. They are scrambling plants, growing to 30-60 cm tall, and are commonly found individually or in clumps in wooded areas and fields. The leaves are long, thin and bladelike to lanceolate, from 3-45 cm long. The flowers have three petals, yellow stamens and are white, pink or purple.

Though sometimes considered a weed, spiderwort is cultivated for borders and also used in containers. Volunteers are often welcomed by gardeners and allowed to stay.

The first species to be described, Virginia Spiderwort T. virginiana, is native to the eastern United States from Maine to Alabama, and Canada in southern Ontario. Virginia Spiderwort was introduced to Europe in 1629, where it was cultivated as a garden flower.

The Western Spiderwort T. occidentalis is listed as an endangered species in Canada, where the northernmost populations of the species are found at a few sites in southern Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta; it is however more common further south in the United States south to Texas and Arizona.

The Wandering Jew, native to eastern Mexico, is also a species of spiderwort. Other names used for various species include Spider-lily, Cradle-lily, Oyster-plant and Flowering Inch Plant.