Giant Spiderwort


One of the nicest things about Texas wildflowers is that one can often find some varieties blooming at all times of the year, and not just in the spring months. Typically, from February through early June, most of everyone’s favorite wildflowers put on their show. After the bluebonnets are done with their impressive display all over the state, you then have other wildflowers surfacing and coloring the fields everywhere.

The images you see here are from Giant spiderworts (Tradescantia gigantea). I captured these two images at a favorite park near my old home. There’s this small nature trail, part of the Walnut Creek greenbelt. The area is the Copperfield Nature Trail. The neighborhood there maintains a garden with several types of wildflowers.

These perennial, deciduous flowers can grow up to three feet (0.90 meters) tall. The bloom colors vary from white, pink, blue, purple, to violet. According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website, “the flower color can be an indicator of the PH of the soil. Acidic soils produce bluer flowers, while more alkaline soils create varying shades of pink and purple.” The flowers only last a day and are about 1-2 inches (2.5-5.0 cm) in diameter.


Although the top two flowers were captured at the Copperfield Nature Trail, the last image was captured along the San Gabriel River.

That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you may also be interested in others featuring Austin, Copperfield Nature Trail, FlowerHour, Giant spiderwort, San Gabriel River, Texas, and Wildflowers. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.

For Terri’s Flower Hour #7.

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29 Responses

  1. Steve Schwartzman
    | Reply

    Too bad we can’t also include the scent in our photographs of wildflowers.

  2. Tra Italia e Finlandia
    | Reply

    Un bel fiore davvero!

  3. Writing to Freedom
    | Reply

    Wonderful photos and reminders of the many wildflower joys of a long warm season. We get wildflowers for maybe 8 months.

  4. A soothing little story, Egidio.
    The shifting colors, the one-day blooms, and your memories of that trail make the flowers feel alive on the page.
    Beautiful clicks!

  5. I. J. Khanewala
    | Reply

    Beautiful

  6. margaret21
    | Reply

    How handsome! I don’t think we have this flower here.

    • Egidio Leitao
      | Reply

      Thanks, Margaret. They are native to the USA.

  7. Leanne Cole
    | Reply

    They’re wild, I would be trying to work out how to grow them in my garden. Beautiful Egidio.

  8. Nicole Sara
    | Reply

    They are wonderful!

  9. solaner
    | Reply

    Thanks for introducing them to us, Egídio. It’s really a beauty.

  10. Terri Webster Schrandt
    | Reply

    Wildflowers are incredible surprises, Egidio! The giant spiderwort really puts on a great show! How i would love to see Bluebonnets in bloom!

    • Egidio Leitao
      | Reply

      Thanks, Terri. I’ll probably post bluebonnet flowers next sprint. It’s inevitable if you live in Texas. 🙂

    • Richard
      | Reply

      A truly beautiful flower, and wonderfully photographed – thank you for sharing!

  11. shoreacres
    | Reply

    I do enjoy these flowers. While I’m sure soil pH can affect their color, I suspect that’s not the only factor, as I’ve seen pink, purple, blueish, and white blooming together, only inches from one another. Genetic variation may play a role, as well. Regardless of color, it’s always a delight to find them.

    • Egidio Leitao
      | Reply

      I agree with you. I’ve seen different colors close by. I can’t say they were cultivar, but it could be possible. Thanks for the feedback.

  12. Vicki
    | Reply

    Beautiful colour (and flower photography).

    I’ve only seen blue/purple Spiderwort here in the Botanic Gardens, so it was interesting to read about the many colours.

    • Egidio Leitao
      | Reply

      Thanks, Vicki. Here, I have mostly pink, purple, and once some white ones.

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