spiderwort

American  

[spahy-der-wurt, -wawrt] / ˈspaɪ dərˌwɜrt, -ˌwɔrt /

noun

1. any plant of the genus Tradescantia, having blue, purple, or rose-colored flowers.

2. any of several related plants.

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spiderwort British  

/ ˈspaɪdəˌwɜːt /

noun

1. any of various plants of the American genus Tradescantia, esp T. virginiana, having blue, purplish, or pink flowers and widely grown as house plants: family Commelinaceae See also tradescantia

2. any of various similar or related plants

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Etymology

Origin of spiderwort

First recorded in 1590–1600; spider + wort ²

Example Sentences

“I told him I wanted flowers every day of the year,” vanEngelsdorp said, but mainly what he insisted on were native plants: spiderwort, aster, bee balm.

From Washington Post • May 22, 2020

In her lower-level studio, which overlooks the garden, Rogers works with china marker or silver leaf on paper, re-creating the line and form of daffodils, spiderwort and hellebore from her garden.

From Washington Post • Aug. 6, 2015

Each spiderwort, evening primrose or wood lily is a stylized representation of growth and decay.

From Time Magazine Archive

One morning she had me traipsing out at the crack of dawn for prickly poppy, toadflax, spiderwort, and skeleton weed.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool

The same effect was suspected in sorghum, sunflower, spiderwort, lambs quarters, pigweed, and smartweed.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson