Latin Name: Tradescantia ohiensis
Common Names: Ohio spiderwort and bluejacket.
Family: It is in the Commelinaceae, or dayflower, family.
Form: This perennial wildflower grows to a height of about two feet and just about as wide.
Leaves: The leaves are linear with entire margins and are folded lengthwise. A gelatinous sap is released when they are cut.
Flowers: The blue flowers appear late winter, spring, summer and fall.
Habitat: It occurs naturally in moist ditches, moist meadows, riparian areas, and disturbed sites.
Native Range: It is native to the following states: AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, and WV.
Landscape Use: In the home landscape it can be grown in full sun to part shade with average to moist soils. It flowers best in full sun.
Wildlife Uses: The flowers are a favorite of bees and it is a bumblebee favorite, and the seeds are eaten by songbirds.
Propagation: It can be grown with seeds or transplants. When transplanting remove any flowering stalks to help reduce the shock to the specimen.