Confederate Spiderwort
Tradescantia ohiensis
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
gailhampshire (www.flickr.com) from Cradley, Malvern, U.K
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Commelinaceae
- Genus:
- Tradescantia
- Species:
- Tradescantia ohiensis
- USDA Symbol:
- TRPA8
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- blue, purple, pink, white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black and (Bombus auricomus), Brown-belted bumble (Bombus griseocollis), Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Half-black bumble (Bombus vagans), Two-spotted bumble (Bombus bimaculatus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rhizomes after fire; common in fire-maintained prairies and savannas.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in prairies and open woods
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 10–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily after cold stratification. Light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI