Tharp's Spiderwort
Tradescantia tharpii
Last reviewed: August 2026
Toxicity unknown
Tharp's Spiderwort (Tradescantia tharpii) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
4"–12" H × 6"–12" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
KS, MO, OK, TX
Pollinators
native bees
Before you buy
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Tharp's spiderwort is a compact, clump-forming perennial wildflower with narrow, grass-like leaves and three-petaled blue-violet flowers that open in the morning and typically close by afternoon. It grows in thin-soil rocky prairies and limestone glades, often going summer-dormant after its spring bloom.
In an HOA neighborhood
Tharp's Spiderwort is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: moderate. Tidiness: 3 out of 5.
Works well in: border planting, rock garden, front bed accent.
- foliage can flop and yellow as it goes summer-dormant after bloom
- self-sows in loose soil
Wildlife value
Its short-lived morning flowers offer pollen to native bees, providing a modest but reliable early-to-mid spring forage source in open, rocky habitats.
Common questions
- How much sun does Tharp's Spiderwort need?
- Tharp's Spiderwort grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Tharp's Spiderwort bloom?
- Tharp's Spiderwort blooms in March, April, and May.
- Where is Tharp's Spiderwort native?
- Tharp's Spiderwort (Tradescantia tharpii) is native to KS, MO, OK, TX, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What pollinators does Tharp's Spiderwort attract?
- Tharp's Spiderwort draws native bees.
- Is Tharp's Spiderwort HOA-friendly?
- Tharp's Spiderwort is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with moderate maintenance.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
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