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Tradescantia tharpii
Tradescantia tharpii E.S. Anderson & Woodson
Tharp's Spiderwort, Dwarf Spiderwort
Commelinaceae (Spiderwort Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: TRTH
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Tharp’s Spiderwort or Dwarf Spiderwort is a low-growing perennial, usually under 8 in. tall. Its straight, erect stems are rarely branching and the bright-green leaves are long, narrow and widely spreading. A number of three-petaled flowers occur in a terminal cluster. The wide variety of flower colors includes purple, lavender, blue, rose and pink.
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.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Leaf Margin: Entire
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 8 inches in fruit, may be less than 4 inches in flower.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Pink , Blue , PurpleBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Distribution
USA: KS , MO , OK , TXNative Distribution: S.w. MO & adjacent KS, s. to n.c. TX
Native Habitat: Prairies & open woodlands
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Part ShadeSoil Description: Well-drained clay or sandy loam.
Conditions Comments: This Tradescantia re-blooms periodically throughout summer and, unlike other spiderworts, does not go dormant and brown out during mid-summer.
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Bibliography
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. WasowskiBibref 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 tharpii in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Tradescantia tharpii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Tradescantia tharpii
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-03-01Research By: TWC Staff