Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio Spiderwort)

Tradescantia ohiensis, also called Ohio spiderwort, is a clump-forming perennial wildflower noted for its striking silvery blue-green foliage and its attractive purple flowers in the late spring and summer. When not in bloom, foliage resembles a draping grass or sedge spreading up to 2' out from the cente, and grows to only about 18" tall; when flower spikes appear, the plant reaches its full size of up to 3' in height, and attracts a number of pollinator species. Of special importance to a number of native bumblebee species, Ohio spiderwort is an excellent and adaptable plant for naturalized meadows and borders.

As a member of the Tradescantia genus, Ohio spiderwort is closely related to a number of showy plants with draping or trailing foliage, though most of these other spiderworts are relegated to use as houseplants due to their tender nature. Ohio spiderwort, on the other hand, is hardy all the way to Zone 4, and will tolerate poor, rocky soils as well as fairly deep partial shade. Though fairly hardy, and capable of spreading somewhat aggressively when planted in ideal conditions, much of spiderwort's beauty comes from its ephemeral blooms, each of which lasts only about a day, adding a pop of vibrant purple to full sun and part-shade locations around the home, before its flowers fade and return to silvery blue grassy leaves.