Ohio Spiderwort

Tradescantia ohiense

Ohio Spiderwort image

Ohio spiderwort, or bluejacket spiderwort, is a native plant about 2 feet tall. The plant blooms from May to July. The light violet to blue-violet flowers open up during the morning and close by the afternoon in sunny weather, but remain open longer on cloudy days. When picked, the stem oozes a clear, slimy juice. The name spiderwort is reported to have come from its use as a cure for spider bites, the angular leaf arrangement resembling a squatting spider, or the spider web-like hairs surrounding the flower's filaments. Cherokee used the plant for medicinal purposes, including as a treatment for insect bites.