What's Growin' On 6/24/06: Spiderwort! An Easy to Grow Flowering Perennial that Attracts Butterflies

Realization Of The Day:
I love spiderwort. The cheerful flowers open up early in the morning, so they are often one of the first things I see when I step outside.





I highly recommend spiderwort for anyone who loves plants that require virtually no maintenance, flower for weeks and weeks, survive crazy weather fluctuations including extreme heat and cold, and can mysteriously pop up 100 feet from where originally planted. (I never did get around to moving those three extremely healthy clumps that appeared in one of the mini greenhouse raised beds in the garden, but the flowers are gorgeous.)





My first spiderwort plants were given to me when I lived at Windridge Farm by a 76-year-old gardening neighbor who dug them up from her garden (this is the very best way to get plants). The ones in my current were dug up and brought over from Windridge six years ago.








Pollinators also love spiderwort, and planting some is a great way to attract them to your garden.




No plant is absolutely perfect, and there are a few things about spiderwort I must disclose. The first is that the plants are fairly tall and do tend to spread, often crowding and shading out surrounding plants. It would probably do best in a place of its own. When I do get around to moving the plants out of the mini greenhouse bed, I plan to relocate them somewhere where nothing else will grow. I'm betting they'll do just fine.

They also have a tendency (at least in my garden) to fall over due to high winds and heavy thunderstorms (and possibly dog attack, though I haven't caught them in the act yet).

And finally. . .








Pollinators and I aren't the only ones who love spiderwort.

NOTE: This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #38, a deliciously informative event created and based at Kalyn's Kitchen that travels every other weekend to a different blog. This week it is being guest-hosted by Virginie at Absolutely Green in Nantes, France. Food bloggers from around the world participate, and you never know what interesting new edibles you'll discover or what you'll learn in the Sunday night roundup. (Due to the time difference in France, this week the roundup will appear on Monday at Absolutely Green.)