Tradescantia ohiensis, more commonly known as Ohio Spiderwort, is a wildflower native to the eastern half of the United States. While common in some states, it is listed as endangered in the state of Pennsylvania. A hardy plant better able than most to resist the effects of common herbicides, it is often seen as the lone roadside weed in some areas, though its winking rose-blue to violet to pale blue-white flowers are also common to meadows, open woods, and savannahs from the eastern seaboard west to Minnesota and south to Texas.
Ohio Spiderwort, which is sometimes known as “Bluejacket” or “Snotweed,” is a sun-loving plant, though it can well tolerate light to moderate shade. Full sun inspires brighter, more profuse blossoms, while light to moderate shade brings more lush grass-like green foliage. Considered a perennial in USDA Zones 4b through 9b, Ohio Spiderwort can be brought to a second bloom if cut back to the ground after the first blossoms fade.
Ohio Spiderwort flowers are, appearance-wise, reminiscent of some varieties of campanula (bellflowers), though they lack the common pendulous quality of many bellflowers. Three petaled, showy blossoms appear atop erect stems and are .75-1.5 inches in diameter. Attractive to butterflies and bees (especially bumblebees), these flowers do not have a strong or noteworthy scent. Blossoms often open wide in the morning, but close up in the heat of the afternoon. Cloudy skies often find them remaining open throughout the day.
While a handsome, clumping plant early in the season, the two-to-three-foot tall plants can become rangy and sprawling by mid-summer as their thick, arching foliage weighs down and begins to fall flat. Again, cutting back to the ground after first bloom can help keep the plant from becoming unattractive. Mixing Ohio Spiderwort with Coneflowers, Prairie Coneflowers, and Blazing Star Liatris makes for a showy display and helps fill in the gap between early bloom and late.
Far from high-maintenance, the Ohio Spiderwort can thrive in a range of conditions. While it prefers pH neutral soil, it can tolerate from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. It prefers its soil on the medium wet to dry side, and can do well in most types of dirt, though it seems to prefer a sandier environment.
Propagation of Ohio Spiderwort is often accomplished by dividing plants. In addition, this plant produces abundant seeds which are easily harvested and replanted outdoors without pre-treatment in the fall. In pleasing conditions, it will freely reseed and spread via offshoots, naturalizing nicely. Because of this, it can become something of a pest in certain circumstances. Though native to the eastern United States, there are vendors who sell seeds, and the plant is known to do well in western gardens.
Tradescantia ohiensis, or Ohio Spiderwort, is a bright, attractive perennial plant that adapts well to various environments. Easily planted and maintained, it will, with just a little care, naturalize in most spaces. Seeds are readily available online, and fall harvesting of seeds provides a perpetual supply. With its beautiful flowers, arching, grass-like foliage, and its butterfly and bee-attracting qualities, it’s a wonderful addition to a garden or border.
Sources:
http://www.easywildflowers.com/quality/tra.ohien.htm
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=TROH
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=R820
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2026/
