Tradescantia Red Grape Spiderwort

Tradescantia Red Grape Spiderwort brings rich, red violet color to the garden from early summer through early fall. Its distinctive three-petaled flowers are accented by golden-yellow stamens and anthers, floating above graceful, fan-shaped foliage in cool blue-green. The plant forms a tidy mound about 15 inches tall and 18 inches wide, and its blooms open each day, closing by late afternoon.

This versatile perennial is at home in borders, beds, woodland settings, mass plantings, and containers. Pair it with daylilies for a polished combination of form and color. Spiderwort draws butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds and is resistant to deer and rabbits. The name refers to the silky, threadlike sap that appears when a stem is cut, recalling the delicate strands of a spider web.

Red Grape thrives in full sun to part shade and tolerates average to wet soils, from normal garden loam to heavy clay. It accepts wet feet and even boggy conditions with ease. Hardy in Zones 4 to 9, it is an easy-care plant that can be divided every couple of years in spring or fall to expand your planting. Tolerance for damp ground paired with jewel-toned flowers gives Red Grape its lasting appeal.