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Tradescantia pinetorum

Tradescantia pinetorum Greene

Pinewoods Spiderwort, Pine Spiderwort

Commelinaceae (Spiderwort Family)

Synonym(s): Aneilema pinetorum

USDA Symbol: TRPI

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Clusters of blue-purple, 3-petaled flowers atop several lightly but roughly hairy stems that are mostly unbranched and erect but often bent and leaning at knee-like nodes.

This species and Western Spiderwort (T. occidentalis) were used by Native Americans as a cooked vegetable. Western Spiderwort, which grows from Montana south to Arizona and east to North Dakota and Texas, has smooth stems with several joints and bright blue to nearly rose-colored flowers. Wright's Spiderwort (T. wrightii), found on limestone slopes from central New Mexico to western Texas, has smooth stems in tufts, only about 6" (15 cm) high, and a few glandular hairs on the sepals and individual flower stalks.

The genus is named after John Tradescant (1608-1662) who served as gardener to Charles I of England.

Tradescantia species will hybridize in just about any combination.