Good Morning, Beautiful!

  Every morning, I am greeted by the nodding flowers of the Spiderwort. These lovely flowers open during the cool hours of the early morn then close once the sun warms the ground.  They are probably some of the truest "blue" flowers that I have in the gardens and I did not even plant them!  Spiderwort is one of those plants that just grows where it pleases and that seems to be just about anywhere.  They are mixed in with the tomatoes, flourishing in the rose garden and loving the shade under the fig trees.  When mowing, I try to leave them dotted in the lawn just because I love seeing their bright blue faces beaming with the sunrise.

  Odd fact about Spiderwort...these are also known as Day Flowers since their blooms last only for one day and then wilt into a gelatinous blob.

  Odd fact....Spiderwort gets its name from the fact that the plant was once believed to be a cure for spider bites.  

  Odd fact...all parts of the Spiderwort plant are edible.  The roots, stem, leaves and even the flowers can be eaten raw or cooked.

  Odd fact...the blooms of the Spiderwort are odorless yet still attract bees.  This is done purely by the contrasting colors of blue and yellow.

  Odd fact...Spiderwort blooms have three petals and six anthers.  

  Odd fact...the true name of the Spiderwort is Tradescantia and is named after John Tradescant who was a gardener for King Charles I of England.

  Odd fact...although rare in humans, Spiderwort can cause allergic reactions in dogs and cats.  The allergy can be seen as a red, scaly, itchy skin disorder.

  Odd fact...Spiderwort is also known as Cow Slobber, Widow's Tears, Indian Paint, Day Flower, Moses in the Bulrushes and Trinity Flower. Cow Slobber is given due to the inner sap resembling slobber and drooling.  Widow's Tears comes from that same dripping sap if a leaf is broken. Trinity Flower comes from the three petals.  Day Flower, Moses in the Bulrushes and Indian Paint are names shared with many other flowers.

  Odd fact...Granddaddy used to call these "Meet Me at the Gates".  He said that if you let them grow in the garden they would soon spread enough to meet you at the gate.  (He probably is frowning down at me from Heaven since I allow them to grow where they will in my yard!)

  Odd fact...Blue is the most common color of the Spiderwort but it can also be found in white, pink and purple.  

  Odd fact...that "Cow Slobber" sap can be used as a home remedy for mosquito and ant bites. Wort refers to the Old English word wyrt or medicinal herb.  (Think back to the fact about the name. Spiderwort, being a cure for spider bites.  Not sure if that works, though, as I have never tried it.  I have slapped some of the goop on ant bites and it does relieve the itching quite quickly!)

  Once considered to be an invasive weed, the Spiderwort has now come into its own fame.  Nurseries have cultivated the wildflower into quite a different looking plant altogether.  The blooms are larger and last longer during the day than the original.  Me?  I prefer the wild sort.  I like seeing the blooms during my walks at daybreak and feel that the blooms are there specifically for me to see.  Many folks who sleep later will miss the beauty set out for those of us that rise at dawn.  From the sunrise to the Spiderwort, there are so many advantages of being out and about in the early, predawn hours.