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Cressler, Alan

Tradescantia hirsuticaulis

Tradescantia hirsuticaulis Small

Hairystem Spiderwort, Hairy-stem Spiderwort, Hairy-stemmed Spiderwort

Commelinaceae (Spiderwort Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: TRHI5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A low-growing, compact spiderwort with deep-purple, three-parted flowers. The long, narrow leaves of this 1 ft., clump-forming spiderwort are fuzzy.

Named after John Tradescant (1608-1662) who served as gardener to Charles I of England.

Tradescantia species will hybridize in just about any combination.

From the Image Gallery

19 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Leaf Margin: Entire
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 16 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue , Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , GA , NC , OK , SC , TN
Native Distribution: NC Piedmont and mts. to e. OK, s. to GA & e. TX
Native Habitat: Dry woods; rocky places

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Poor to average, dry soils.
Conditions Comments: Very drought-tolerant. Forms robust clumps even in harsh, dry conditions. May go dormant in the summer and be lush and evergreen through the winter. Tradescantia species will hybridize in just about any combination.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Bibliography

Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Tradescantia hirsuticaulis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Tradescantia hirsuticaulis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Tradescantia hirsuticaulis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-03-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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