Tradescantia ohiensis Ohio Spiderwort

Ohio Native Plant Natural Range

This seems a little odd, Ohio Spiderwort is listed as endangered in the state of Pennsylvania. Visit the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to view the natural range of the Ohio Spiderwort.
Two blue Spiderwort flowers on the left and one on the right, in the middle are numerous round seedpods, a few are beginning to crack open.
Ohio Spiderwort seed pods ripening
Three Tradescantia ohiensis flowers in the front of the picture in the background are more Ohio Spiderwort plants.
Roger's garden, Ohio Spiderwort Baldwinsville, NY


Cultivation Information Ohio Spiderwort


Height - 2 ftFlower Color - Violet blueBlooms - May - JulySun - Full or part
Hardy Zone - 4 to 9pH - 6.6 to 7.5Soil - Moist, Normal to dry
Family - Commelinaceae
Seed Provenance Tradescantia ohiensis
Nodding Onion Gardens 2013 - Present, Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, MN 2012
Close up of one dark blue Ohio Spiderwort with four petals, a yellow center and a small bee in the middle of the flower.
Spiderwort with Native bees - Jim Wohl
Wildlife Significance Ohio Spiderwort
Pollinators - Long-tongued bees (bumble bees) and Honey bees. Flies and Halictine bees eat pollen but are not responsible for pollinating Spiderwort plants
Deer - enjoy this plant
List as one of the top 35 best pollinator plants in the Xerces Society's guide - Attracting Native Pollinators
For more detailed information visit the Illinois Wildflower website
Propagation Notes Ohio Spiderwort
Collecting Seed - Wait until pods crack and seed is black
Cold Storage - I 120 days - small Zip lock plastic bag with a few table spoons of moistened vermiculite
Seeds planted - 2-14-2012Sprouted - 3-1-2012 - Appear initially as a "stubby" blade of grass.
Night Temperature - 61 - 63°FDay Temperature - 64 - 65°F -Under florescent lights
Alternative Method - Allow plants to seed freely in the garden. Look for grass like seedlings with a hint of purple on them early in the spring
What looks like grass poking up in the spring is actually Tradescantia ohiensis. A hint of purple on the leaves makes Ohio Spiderwort easy to identify.
Spring has arrived - Tradescantia ohiensis