Tradescantia

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Spiderwort
Spiderwort in flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Commelinales Family: Commelinaceae Genus: Tradescantia
Species
About 70, including: Tradescantia bracteata Tradescantia brevifolia Tradescantia buckleyi Tradescantia cerinthoides Tradescantia crassifolia Tradescantia crassula Tradescantia edwardsiana Tradescantia ernestiana Tradescantia fluminensis Tradescantia gigantea Tradescantia hirsuticaulis Tradescantia hirsutiflora Tradescantia humilis Tradescantia iridescens Tradescantia leiandra Tradescantia longipes Tradescantia navicularis Tradescantia occidentalis Tradescantia ohiensis Tradescantia ozarkana Tradescantia pallida Tradescantia paludosa Tradescantia pedicellata Tradescantia pinetorum Tradescantia roseolens Tradescantia reverchonii Tradescantia sillamontana Tradescantia spathacea Tradescantia subacaulis Tradescantia subaspera Tradescantia tharpii Tradescantia ulilliogtugputy[verification needed] Tradescantia tepoxtlana Tradescantia virginiana Tradescantia wrightii Tradescantia zanonia Tradescantia zebrina
Synonyms
Setcreasea Zebrina

Spiderwort (Tradescantia) is a genus of an estimated 71 species of perennial plants in the family Commelinaceae, 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 are white, pink or purple but most commonly bright blue, with three petals and six yellow anthers.

Though sometimes accounted a weed, spiderwort is cultivated for borders and also used in containers. Where it appears as a volunteer, it is often welcomed and allowed to stay.

The first species 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 is 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.

The genus takes its name from John Tradescant the younger, a plant hunter and nurseryman from England.

[edit] External links

• Flora of North America: Tradescantia (includes species in USA and Canada only)
• PlantSystematics: Tradescantia
• Western Spiderwort endangered in Canada

Front view of leaves of Tradescantia pallida cv. "Purple Heart".

Back view of leaves of Tradescantia pallida cv. "Purple Heart".

Front view of leaves of Tradescantia zebrina cv. "Tricolor".

Back view of leaves of Tradescantia zebrina cv. "Tricolor".