Spiderwort. Perhaps, the ugliest name in all the garden. I love to hear people pronounce it for the first time….
“Spider-what? Spider-WART??”
For such an incredibly beautiful flower, the name truly leaves something to be desired.
Spiderwort is a member of the Dayflower family. The flowers bloom in the morning and diminish in the afternoon. The plant can actually produce new flowers up to 8 weeks. I typically cut the stalks with spent flowers down, to encourage new flower growth. Spiderwort has fleshy roots that resemble that of a Day Lily. When the stalks are cut, a web-like sap is secreted…hence the name Spiderwort.
Spiderwort are one of the earliest of flowers to bloom in the Spring, mimicking a bulb. In fact, it’s one of my favorite non-bulb bulbs. Spiderwort is not a bulb, but behaves just like a bulb so I give it an honorary mention in my garden.
Spiderwort come in all sizes, with colors of pastel Easter Eggs. I’ve been collecting Spiderwort for years from various fields. One particular field where Spiderwort grew wild was behind our old house. I collected just about every color in the rainbow.
Yesterday, I started relocating these lovely clumps to the barren landscapes of yuk. The greatest part of Spiderwort is that they grow anywhere and everywhere. I’ve seen them grow in asphalt and cracks of cement. Spiderwort will go dormant in the heat of the summer, to give way for flowering annuals like Zinnia or Cosmos. The foliage just started to appear a few weeks ago, and I’m moving a bunch around a young Mesquite Tree that my violin student gave me.
Division of Spiderwort is unnecessary, unless you just more things to do in the garden. Simply pull the roots apart. Bingo….A new plant. But be advised that Spiderwort drops many seeds and you will have unwanted lovely flowers all through your garden. Simply dig and give away to friends. Every garden needs a plant with a name that children laugh at. I have some to share if you are interested.
Happy Gardening, my friends.
Love, Keenan at Heirloombulbgirl
Heirloombulbgirl 