prairie spiderwort
Tradescantia bracteata
USDA zones3 to 8
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size12 to 18 inches tall18 to 24 inches wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer
- Bloom color
- Rose to purple
Garden uses
Notes
Prairie spiderwort (Tradescantia bracteata) is a perennial for ground cover, meadows, and naturalized areas. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry to moist soil. Rose to purple flowers open in late spring and early to mid summer. Each bloom closes by midday and lasts only one day, but new buds keep opening in the clusters. Grass-like leaves grow on stout, upright stems.
Pairs well with Prairie dropseed, New England aster, and Brown-eyed Susan.
Native range
Central United States.