Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio Spiderwort)

A confirmed favorite of native bees carrying an official Xerces Society "Special Value to Native Bees" designation, Ohio spiderwort's fleeting, single-day flowers are compensated by sheer profusion - rarely out of bloom for a month and a half straight, and genuinely adaptable enough to shrug off sand, clay, gravel, or loam alike.

Species Overview

Tradescantia ohiensis, commonly called Ohio spiderwort or bluejacket, is the most common and widely distributed spiderwort species in the United States, a clump-forming perennial growing 2 to 4 feet tall with arching, blue-green, grass-like foliage. Three-petaled blue (occasionally rose) flowers with showy yellow stamens bloom in succession from late spring into midsummer, each lasting only a single day.

Application

• Special-value native bee habitat - Xerces Society designated, attracts bumble bees
• Meadow, prairie, and roadside restoration - highly adaptable to soil type
• Border and naturalized cottage garden plantings
• Edible landscaping - flowers and shoots reported edible

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

• Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
• Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Dry to medium, well-drained soils; highly adaptable to loam, clay, gravel, or sand
• Plant Type: Forb
• Mature Height: 2-4 ft.
• Fall Color: Insignificant/None
• Bloom Color / Period: Blue; May-August
• Wetland Indicator Status: FAC (Facultative)
• Native Range: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (full list)
• Hydrology: Mesic-Moist
• Root Depth: Moderate (12-24 in.)
• Salinity Tolerance: Low
• Growth Rate: Moderate
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate
• Deer Resistance: Some
• Flood Tolerance: Moderate - A moist meadow and prairie species tolerant of periodically wet soil.
• Shade Tolerance: Intermediate
• Growth Habit: Clumping/Mounding
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
• Pollinator Value: Supports bees

Planting Guidance

• Flowers open in the morning and close by early afternoon, especially in heat; can be cut back to about 6 inches in midsummer as foliage declines, encouraging a possible fall rebloom. Self-seeds readily and can be aggressive in ideal conditions - not the best fit for very small gardens.

Please allow 3 business days for all seed orders.