Botanical name: Tradescantia virginiana
Family: Commelinaceae
Virginia Spiderwort also called Spider Lily or Common Spiderwort is a perennial herbaceous plant with alternate, simple leaves, on tubular stems.
Virginia Spiderwort bears long, erect or arching bright green leaves. The plant is a prolific bloomer with each flower lasting only a day.
The flowers in Virginia Spiderwort are blue, purple, magenta, or white and are borne in summer.
The Virginia Spiderwort spreads by means of underground stolons forming clumps and grow 2-3 feet tall by 1 foot wide.
Virginia Spiderwort is native to the eastern and central USA.
Virginia Spiderwort prefers bright, indirect light. Keep your Virginia Spiderwort away from direct sunshine as it can lead to scorching of the leaves. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.
Water your Virginia Spiderwort thoroughly during the growing season and maintain the soil moist at all times.
Reduce watering your Virginia Spiderwort during the cold weather to keep the soil slightly moist as growth is minimal.
Avoid soggy soil for your Virginia Spiderwort as it can lead to root-rot. Read more on how to water houseplants.
Average warmth with a minimum 130C is ideal for your Virginia Spiderwort. Protect your Virginia Spiderwort from cold draughts.
Virginia Spiderwort has no need for high humidity. However, mist the leaves of your Virginia Spiderwort or set the pot on a wet pebble tray where the temperatures are too high to raise humudity. Check out these techniques on how to raise humidity for houseplants.
Feed your Virginia Spiderwort with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 4 weeks during the growing period.
Withhold feeding for your Virginia Spiderwort during the cold season as the growth is minimal and feeding at this time may lead to fertilizer burn. Read more on how to feed houseplants.
Repot your Virginia Spiderwort during the growing season only when the plant has become pot-bound.
Use a rich, free-draining soil and a pot one size larger for your Virginia Spiderwort. Ensure the pot has a drainage hole to avoid getting soggy soil as it can lead to root-rot.
Pruning your Virginia Spiderwort involves regular removal of dead foliage to maintain the plant neat and tidy.
To control the growth of your Virginia Spiderwort and encourage bushyness, pinch the growing tips.
Cut back leggy stems of your Virginia Spiderwort at the beginning of the growing season to rejuvenate growth.
Virginia Spiderwort can be propagated during the growing period by plants divison or from stem-cuttings.
Take out your Virginia Spiderwort from its pot and carefully divide it into sections. Ensure each sections has adequate roots and at least one set of leaves.
Pot the Virginia Spiderwort sections in individual pots in free-draining soil.
Place the set up in a cool shaded place and maintain the soil moist until new growth emerges.
Allow the new Virginia Spiderwort to be well established before transplanting.
Virginia Spiderwort stem cuttings root easily so there is no need for rooting hormone.
Take a stem cutting from a healthy Virginia Spiderwort of about 4-6 in. and ensure it bears at least two sets of leaves.
Fill your rooting container with free-draining rooting mix to a depth of about 4 in. Lightly moisten the soil.
With a pencil or similar object make a hole that is wider than the diameter of the Virginia Spiderwort cutting.
Carefully insert your Virginia Spiderwort cutting in the hole made previously to a depth of about 3 in.
Place the set up in a cool shaded place and maintain the soil moist through out until new growth emerges.
Allow the new Virginia Spiderwort to be well established before transplanting to individual pots.
Inadequate light is the cause of loss of leaf color in your Virginia Spiderwort.
Move your Virginia Spiderwort to a brighter spot, as it prefers bright, indirect light. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.
Your Virginia Spiderwort will readily drop its leaves if the light is inadequate.
Ensure to place your Virginia Spiderwort in bright, indirect light while protecting it from direct hot sunshine to avoid scorching of the leaves.
There are three causes of weak spindly growth in your Virginia Spiderwort.
One cause of elongated weak stems (spindly growth) in your Virginia Spiderwort is too little light.
Move your Virginia Spiderwort to a brighter spot as it need bright, indirect light.
The second cause of elongated weak stems (spindly growth) in your Virginia Spiderwort is underwatering.
Maintain the soil moist at all times for your Virginia Spiderwort and never allow the soil to dry out completely.
The third cause of elongated weak stems (spindly growth) in your Virginia Spiderwort is inadequate feeding.
Feed your Virginia Spiderwort once a month with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer.
Underwatering is the cause of limp stems, yellow and spotted leaves in your Virginia Spiderwort.
Water your Virginia Spiderwort liberally during the growing season and maintain the soil moist through out.
The most common plant diseases in Virginia Spiderwort are Root-rot and Leaf Spot.
Common plant pests in Virginia Spiderwort are Mealy Bugs, Aphids and Scale Insects.
Isolate the affected Virginia Spiderwort and treat appropriately. Mist the leaves regularly to reduce infestation by these pests.
Tradescantia virginiana (Virginia Spiderwort) is mildly toxic to humans and pets.
If Virginia Spiderwort is ingested the plant sap causes burning in the mouth, tongue and throat. The sap may also cause skin irritation in sensitive skin; always wear gloves when handling.
Most Peperomia plants are perfect indoor plants as they easily adapt to indoor growing conditions. Their great variety of beautiful foliage, texture and growth habits qualify them for any plant collection. Here are some Peperomia Plants that can be grown indoors successfully. Read more »
Sometimes pets can decide to chew or play with houseplants. While it is a good idea to keep houseplants out of the reach of pets, it is very important to grow houseplants that are non-toxic to pets. Here are some pet safe houseplants. Read more »
Ornamental Asparagus Plants are popular houseplants on account of their ease to grow. These plants easily adapt to wide variations in light, heat and frequency of watering. Some of these plants have needle-like "leaves" which give them a ferny appearance. Read more »
The Tradescantia group of plants are one of the most popular and easy to grow indoors. Read more »
These ten beautiful houseplants have been found to be effective in removing indoor air pollutants. Here are some. Read more »
These houseplants are easy to care for which means they are suitable for you if you are just starting out with growing houseplants. Read more »
These houseplants are suitable for the forgetful, a beginner or one who has limited time to take care of their houseplants. Read more »
Let not space limit you in greening your living spaces. These small houseplants are perfect to additions for such spaces. Read more »
Hanging baskets are one beautiful way of maximizing on the vertical space. These easy to grow houseplants are excellent for hanging. Read more »
Even for the poorly lit spaces, these houseplants will adapt very well to the low light conditions and continue to brighten up such spaces. Read more »
Do not let yourself be surrounded by dull plain walls while you are working. Bring some green in and break the monotony of... Read more »
One interesting way to display houseplants is the use of a terrarium. These houseplants are well suited for a terrarium. Read more »