# Virginia spiderwort (*Tradescantia virginiana*) Virginia spiderwort is a beautiful flower with long, green leaves and bright blue or purple blooms. It loves to grow in sunny spots and can be found in gardens and fields. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Fields and gardens ![Virginia spiderwort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tradescantia_virginiana_Plummers_Island_MD_with_Toxomerus_sp2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Daniel J. Layton, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tradescantia_virginiana_Plummers_Island_MD_with_Toxomerus_sp2.jpg) ## Appearance The Virginia spiderwort has striking three-petaled flowers, typically vibrant purple-blue, but sometimes pink or white. These delicate blossoms emerge from grass-like, linear leaves, forming clumps in gardens and wild spaces. Its unique flower shape helps it stand out. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Commelinales - **Family:** Commelinaceae - **Genus:** Tradescantia ## Interesting facts - Each flower lasts one day, but fresh new ones grow every morning! - Its sticky sap stretches like spiderwebs when stems break, earning its name! - Its tiny stamen hairs are fantastic for seeing plant cells under a microscope! - You can eat its fresh leaves and flowers; they taste a bit like spinach! ## Special abilities - **Daily Bloom Turnover:** Virginia spiderwort has delicate flowers that quickly dissolve after blooming, making way for fresh new ones each day! - **Sticky Shield:** Virginia spiderwort has sticky sap in its stems that helps deter hungry insects from taking a bite. - **Sun & Shade Tolerant:** Its vibrant flowers open and close daily, protecting delicate parts from strong sun and conserving energy. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Common eastern bumble bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — feeds on rich nectar - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — sometimes browses on foliage ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Virginia spiderwort? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Virginia spiderwort? 30-90 cm ### How wide does Virginia spiderwort spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Virginia spiderwort? 2-4 cm ### When does Virginia spiderwort bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is Virginia spiderwort edible? Yes ### Is Virginia spiderwort toxic? None ### What is Virginia spiderwort's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Dundee Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dundee-canal) — New Jersey, US · Historic Site - [Herring Run Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/herring-run-park) — Maryland, US · Park - [Manchester](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/manchester) — Virginia, US · Neighborhood - [Patterson Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/patterson-park) — Maryland, US · Botanical Garden - [The Fan](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-fan) — Virginia, US · Neighborhood - [Verona Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/verona-park) — New Jersey, US · Park [View all places to see Virginia spiderwort](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/virginia-spiderwort) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Virginia spiderwort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/virginia-spiderwort)