Texas
Wildbuds

Tradescantia gigantea

Tradescantia gigantea, Lake Somerville State Park, Birch Creek, Burleson Co. 9284

Tradescantia gigantea, Lake Somerville State Park, Birch Creek, Burleson Co. 9286

Tradescantia gigantea, McKinney Roughs Natural Area, Bastrop Co. 3499

Tradescantia gigantea, McKinney Falls State Park, Travis Co. 2922

Tradescantia gigantea, McKinney Roughs Natural Area, Bastrop Co. 3503/3520

Tradescantia gigantea, Mayfield Park, Austin, Travis Co. 1848

Tradescantia gigantea, Mayfield Park, Austin, Travis Co. 1842

Tradescantia gigantea, McKinney Roughs Natural Area, Bastrop Co. 3557

Click Here for white T. gigantea.

Scientific Name	Tradescantia gigantea	USDA PLANTS Symbol	TRGI
Common Name	Giant Spiderwort	ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.	39162
Family	Commelinaceae (Spiderwort)	SEINet Reference	Click Here
Description	Habitat: Limestone soils in pasturelands, woodland edges, roadsides; endemic to Central Texas. Plant: Erect perennial with straight usually unbranched stems 8 inches to 3 feet tall with 3 to 5 nodes; lower stem mostly smooth, upper densely covered with short hairs. Leaves: Narrow linear-lanceolate, pointed leaves 4 to 14 inches long; upper portions of leaves becoming densely covered with short hairs, lower portions mostly smooth. Inflorescence: A few to many flowers in terminal cymes, blossoms about 1 inch across with three broad, rounded petals, usually lavender-blue to pink, rarely white; yellow anthers; blossoms subtended by leaf-like bracts up to 4 inches long with a sac-like shape at the base; bracts, sepals and pedicels covered in short, fine hairs. Bloom Period: March to May. References: "Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country" by Marshall Enquist, "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and Vascular Plants of Williamson County.	BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key	Texas Status: Native Endemic to Central Texas

Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County

© Tom Lebsack 2024