Species › Plants › Western Spiderwort

Western Spiderwort

Tradescantia occidentalis

CommonPlant
Illustration of Western Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)

Western Spiderwort is a native perennial of dry prairies and sandy soils across the Great Plains, bearing clusters of rose-purple to bright blue three-petaled flowers in spring and early summer. Growing 1–2 feet tall, it is more drought-tolerant than eastern spiderwort species and is adapted to sandy, well-drained soils. The flowers last only a morning but are produced in succession over several weeks. It is an important early-season pollinator plant on dry prairies.

Habitat
Found on dry sandy prairies, sandy open woodlands, and disturbed sandy soils across the Great Plains.
Diet
Flowers provide nectar and pollen for native bees; visited by bumblebees and mining bees.
How common
Common

Best time to see a Western Spiderwort

The best time to see a Western Spiderwort is May–June, when about 74% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 5,757 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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