Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Wednesday - June 13, 2007

From: Sarasota, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Water Gardens, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Tradescantia as a water plant
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

I have a spiderwort plant, and when I found it at the nursery, it was in water by the pond plants, (I had no idea what kind of plant it was at the time) So I bought it, took it home, and repotted it with aquatic plant soil, and stuck it in my pond. Now after some research about it, I realized that somebody probably set the plant down in the wrong spot at the nursery, but I have had it in my pond for about a week now...so far it seems fine. My question is, what do you think? Should I remove it from my pond? I certainly don't want to drown it, it is a lovely plant, one of my favorites right now! Please let me know what your advice for this would be, I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you.

ANSWER:

Spiderwort is a member of the genus Tradescantia which is characterized as a prairie wildflower, so if you haven't done so already, I suggest getting the plant out of the pond.

The genus contains as many as 71 species, several of which bear the common name Spiderwort, so it is difficult to know which species you may have. Many of the commercially available spiderworts are in the Tradescantia-Andersoniana group. This group contains several cultivars of complex hybrid orgin. Two native spiderworts that are found in Florida are the Ohio Spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis (bluejacket) and the Zigzag Spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera (zigzag spiderwort).


Tradescantia ohiensis

Tradescantia subaspera
 

More Water Gardens Questions

Deterring geese from a wildflower garden
February 28, 2015 - I've moved into a home with a large pond beyond the grass yard. I intend to plant a sunflower house with lots of other plants as part of the structure, such as flowering vines, clover, mint and thyme...
view the full question and answer

Plants for wet soil in turtle enclosure in Virginia
September 03, 2010 - We recently installed a turtle pond in our backyard in Arlington, VA. We built an enclosure around the pond to protect the turtle from raccoons and herons, and left some open area for the turtle to g...
view the full question and answer

Problems with non-native bi-color iris from Spring Branch TX
August 18, 2011 - Bi colored iris. I have four plants planted around our water feature last fall. Up until recently they all looked very healthy, yet not blooming. Several weeks ago I noticed that two of the plants ...
view the full question and answer

Best time to plant wetland plants in NY
April 19, 2010 - Hello Mr. Smarty Plants - I'm working on a fresh water, shoreline wetland creation project in New York State. I've created two zones of native wetland plantings, an emergent shallow marsh zone ...
view the full question and answer

Wildflowers for a pond in MO
September 10, 2011 - I have a spring fed pond in Missouri and would like to plant perennial wildflowers in the area around it. Are there any that would do better or others that are not recommended? Thank you.
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.