Tradescantia longipes

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Tradescantia longipes

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Kemper Code: M610

Common Name: spider wort
Zone: 4 to 9
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Commelinaceae
Missouri Native: Yes
Native Range: Missouri Ozark Region, northern Arkansas
Height: 0.5 to 0.75 feet
Spread: 0.5 to 0.75 feet
Bloom Time: May - June Bloom Data
Bloom Color: Purple, bluish-purple
Sun: Part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium

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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in part shade. Prefers moist, acidic soils. Tolerant of poor soils. Divide clumps when they become overcrowded. Foliage declines after flowering and should then be cut back almost to the ground to encourage new growth and a possible fall bloom. Can self-seed and spread in the garden in ideal growing conditions.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

This species of spiderwort is a low-growing, clump-forming, Missouri native which grows only to 8" tall and typically occurs on rocky, wooded slopes in the Ozark region of the State. Deep blue to purple, three-petaled flowers (.75-1.5" diameter) accented by fringed yellow stamens open up, a few at a time, each for only one day, from terminal clusters (umbels) containing numerous flower buds. Flowers bloom in succession from May to June. Arching, grass-like, dark green leaves up to 7" long and 1/2" wide are folded lengthwise forming a groove. Sometimes commonly called wild crocus, this native plant is not found in the wild outside the Ozark region (Missouri and Arkansas).

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems. Young shoots are susceptible to snail damage. Foliage sprawls in an unattractive manner by mid-summer.

Uses:

An interesting native perennial for rock gardens or native plant gardens. Also appropriate for open woodland or shade gardens, wild gardens or naturalized areas. Also can be grown in borders, but mid-summer foliage decline is a potential disincentive for this placement.