Flower
Ohio Spiderwort
Tradescantia ohiensisAlso known as Bluejacket
Ohio spiderwort opens vibrant violet-blue blossoms in early morning sunlight, with each three-petaled flower dissolving into a watery drop by mid-afternoon. Smooth, glaucous stems and grass-like foliage hold clusters of terminal buds that bloom sequentially over several weeks each summer. Found in sunny meadows and disturbed prairies, this resilient perennial thrives in sandy or rocky soils and attracts diverse native bumblebees.
WildflowerPerennialPollinator Favorite
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthesis)
Predators
- White-tailed Deer
- Eastern Cottontail
- Herbivorous Weevils
ThreatsHerbicide spraying, overly frequent mowing, and habitat conversion
HabitatsPrairies, savannas, open woodlands, meadows, and roadsides
Life spanPerennial (often 5 to 10 years or more)
Classification
- OrderCommelinales
- FamilyCommelinaceae
- GenusTradescantia
- SpeciesTradescantia ohiensis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Timing: Visit patches early in the morning, as the individual blossoms shrivel and liquefy by late afternoon.
- Garden Use: Plant clumps in sunny, well-drained native gardens to provide an extended floral food source for bumblebees.
Pollinator USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA / Public domain · cc0
Close Relative (c) Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Sam Kieschnick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sam Kieschnick · cc-by
Close Relative Jason Hollinger / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
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