Prairie spiderwort
Tradescantia occidentalis

Family: Commelinaceae

What it is like

A herb. The stems are 5-90 cm long. The leaves are arranged in spirals. They are narrowly sword shaped and 5-50 cm long by 0.2-3 cm wide. They taper to the tip. The flowers are blue to red and 12-16 mm long. The fruit are capsules 4-7 mm long and the seeds are 2-4 mm.

There are about 65-70 Tradescantia species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in the dry prairie.

Countries/locations it is found in

North America, USA

How it is used for food

The tender shoots are eaten raw. They are also used as a potherb. The flowers are added to salads.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Several