Virginia spiderwort facts for kids

Tradescantia virginiana, also known as the Virginia spiderwort, is a beautiful wild flower. It is the main type of plant in the Tradescantia family. This plant grows naturally in the eastern parts of the United States. You can often see it in gardens or growing wild along roads and railway tracks. There are many different kinds of Tradescantia plants, including the Bluejacket (Tradescantia ohiensis). The Bluejacket looks a lot like the Virginia spiderwort. It is one of the most common Tradescantia plants found in North America.

Quick facts for kids Virginia spiderwort
Open flower with a Toxomerus sp. hoverfly feeding
Scientific classification
Genus:	Tradescantia
Species:	virginiana

What Does Virginia Spiderwort Look Like?

The Virginia spiderwort is a green plant that comes back every year. It has long, simple leaves that grow one after another on its stems. The stems are shaped like tubes. In the summer, this plant grows pretty flowers. These flowers can be blue, purple, or white.

Growing Virginia Spiderwort in Your Garden

The Virginia spiderwort is a plant that lives for many years. It is a type of herbaceous plant, which means it has soft stems instead of woody ones. This plant likes most soils that are a bit wet. However, it can also grow well in drier garden soils. You can start new plants from seeds. But it is much easier to grow them from small pieces of the plant (cuttings) or by dividing a larger plant.

Where Does Virginia Spiderwort Grow?

You can find the Virginia spiderwort in eastern North America. It grows as far west as Missouri. To the south, it reaches northern South Carolina and Alabama. To the north, it can be found in Ontario, Vermont, and Michigan. In some of the northern areas, these plants might have escaped from gardens. This means they are not always naturally wild there.

Images for kids

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  A full Virginia spiderwort plant

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  A close-up of a Virginia spiderwort flower