Pollinator plant

Common Spiderwort

Tradescantia virginiana

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Common names

33 names · 20 languages
EnglishYour language
+8 more namesShow fewer names
  • flower of a day[4]
  • Moses in the bulrushes[4]
  • Spider Lily[1]
  • spiderwort[4]
  • Trinity flower[4]
  • Virginia Spiderwort[1][4][2][3]
  • Virginian tradescantia[4]
  • widow's tears[4]
Other languages (19)
Dutch
  • Eendagsbloem[2][3]
  • mozes-in-de-biezen
  • Vaderplant
French
  • Ephémère de Virginie[2][3]
Cherokee
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 无毛紫露草[3]
Czech
  • podeňka virginská[3]
Danish
  • Blomsterjøde[3]
Estonian
  • virgiinia tradeskantsia[3]
German
  • Virginia-Dreimasterblume[2][3]
Hungarian
  • Kerti pletyka[3]
  • virginiai pletyka[3]
Japanese
  • オオムラサキツユクサ[3]
Lithuanian
  • Virgininė tradeskantė[3]
Mvskoke
  • pvkpvke holati tihvs rakita[3]
Polish
  • Trzykrotka wirginijska[3]
Russian
  • Традесканция виргинская[3]
Slovak
  • tradeskancia virgínska[3]
Spanish
  • Tradescantia de Virginia[2][3]
Swedish
  • tremastarblomma[3]
Turkish
  • Mavi Telgrafçiçeği[3]
Ukrainian
  • Традесканція віргінська[3]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Tradescantia virginiana — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Spider Lily — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Common Spiderwort — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Virginia Spiderwort — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Tradescantia virginiana.
[2] Tradescantia virginiana — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Virginia-Dreimasterblume — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Virginia spiderwort — results[1].names[2]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Tradescantia de Virginia — results[1].names[9]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Ephémère de Virginie — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Eendagsbloem — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
[3] Tradescantia virginiana — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Virginia-Dreimasterblume — results[13].names[4]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Virginia spiderwort — results[13].names[2]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Tradescantia de Virginia — results[13].names[9]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Ephémère de Virginie — results[13].names[3]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Eendagsbloem — results[13].names[5]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • podeňka virginská — results[13].names[6]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • オオムラサキツユクサ — results[13].names[7]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Trzykrotka wirginijska — results[13].names[8]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • virgiinia tradeskantsia — results[13].names[10]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Традесканция виргинская — results[13].names[11]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • 无毛紫露草 — results[13].names[12]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • tremastarblomma — results[13].names[13]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Blomsterjøde — results[13].names[14]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Virgininė tradeskantė — results[13].names[15]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Kerti pletyka — results[13].names[16]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • pvkpvke holati tihvs rakita — results[13].names[17]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • virginiai pletyka — results[13].names[18]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • ᏔᏆᎵ — results[13].names[19]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Традесканція віргінська — results[13].names[20]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • tradeskancia virgínska — results[13].names[21]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Mavi Telgrafçiçeği — results[13].names[22]; taxon id 130991; Tradescantia virginiana.
[4] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • blue spiderwort — Other common names section.; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • bluebells — Other common names section.; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • common spiderwort — Common-name subtitle below main botanical heading (h1).; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • flower of a day — Other common names section.; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Moses in the bulrushes — Other common names section.; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • spiderwort — Other common names section.; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Trinity flower — Other common names section.; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Virginia spiderwort — Other common names section.; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • Virginian tradescantia — Other common names section.; Tradescantia virginiana.
  • widow's tears — Other common names section.; Tradescantia virginiana.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Tradescantia virginiana is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Commelinaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
0.46–0.91 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.3–0.46 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Arching; Clumping; Erect; Spreading

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Medium

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, pollinators.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Native range
Ontario to EC. & E. U.S.A., Cuba.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Unknown
Pollen value Medium
Plant profile

About this plant

Spider Lily (Tradescantia virginiana) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from June to October.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Tradescantia virginiana — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP). This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 2704455; ID 7CLWT; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 2704455; ID 7CLWT; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Tradescantia virginiana — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Tradescantia virginiana — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 1153907; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 382294, 382295, 382296, 382297, 382298, 382299, 382300, 382301, 382302, 382303, 382304, 382305, 382306, 382307, 382308, 382309, 382310, 382311, 382313, 382315, 382316, 382317, 382318, 382319, 382321, 382322, 382323, 382324, 382325

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.