Sunday, June 7, 2009

Today's Flowers - June 7




Spiderwort


I first saw this plant growing wild by the wayside in southern Arkansas, and fell in love with its blue/purple blooms. A wonderful woman who worked for the client I was visiting at the time (back in the days when I was gainfully employed) heard me expounding on this "ditch" plant, and dug a clump and kept it in her office to give me on my next visit. It's been in my garden for about 10 years.

Spiderwort is an interesting plant, with many attributes; parts of it are edible and it is also used in herbal medicine. For more information, if you're interested, go here. Good ol' Wikipedia!

Today's Flowers is a weekly Meme created by Luiz Santilli, Jr. and may be found here. Please visit to see others' lovely flower photos. If you have a flower photo of your own to share, please join us.

35 comments:

NitWit1 said...

I love that little flower. The flower sort of reminds me of vinca.

On my recent trip, the wildflowers were dressing the roadside in all their beauty, especially notable, the purple coneflowers, which I also have struggling in my yard.

Sandi McBride said...

I love my spiderwort. I dug up a clump of it in my Aunt Margaret's garden in Columbia over 10 years ago and it thrived. When we moved out to the country, I of course brought a huge clump of it with me...it's great for sharing (never say thank you for a shared flower is our rule here...they won't thrive if you thank your host...how bout in Arkansas?)
Sandi

Arkansas Patti said...

Fell in love with spiderwort at the recent garden tour. I love the foliage as much as the flower.
Need to get some.

Rune Eide said...

I also find that very often the "simple roadside" flowers are the most beautiful.

Euroangel said...

thanks for sharing this lovely flowers..love its color!

penny said...

I love the color, it is so deep and delightful. Thanks for sharing.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

I've never heard of it, Pat, but you are right. The colors are beautiful.

Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Betsy

VALKYRIEN said...

What a great blue color this flower has! What would people without gardens do, without lovely wild flowers!?

Happy TF!
Valkyrien

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Such a beautiful flower...with such a terrible name...can we designate something else for it's name??? Li'l bluestar, perhaps? Wonderful photo! Happy Sunday to you!~Janine XO

Snap said...

Love it!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Pat: Such a neat post with a beautiful little flower.

judi/Gmj said...

Love the plant and the flower. You almost have to share don't you? It took over part of my flower bed in Oklahoma. :D judi

Ebie said...

Love the name of the flower. Very informative post too.

Carletta said...

Spiderwort - not the most becoming of names for a delicate little bloom!
Nice shot.

My flower post is here: Carletta’s Captures.

Kerri Farley said...

It's beautiful! I LOVE blue flowers!!

Naturegirl said...

Pat: A wonderful little flower I would agree! I have spiderwort in my own garden as I love the blues with pinks anyhow..I find once the flowers are spent the foliage looks a bit dare I say ugly and weedy looking..right now mine are not in full bloom and the foliage is lush and green...
what do you do after the flowers are spent?I've not yet yanked it out of my garden but each summer I say I will.Hope you can visit me and answer my Q.
Thanks NG

Mariamellie said...

What a lovely peaceful flower. Simply lovely! =) Thanks for visiting me last week via Today's Flowers. Greetings from East Borneo.

SandyCarlson said...

That is a beautiful flower. I love the blue. I was looking for blue flowers the other day and having a terrible time. Now I have found one!

Luiz Santilli Jr said...

Pat
Your post is marvelous!
Wonderful flower with lovely blue.
Thanks for sharing.
Luiz

Unknown said...

A beautiful shade of blue. I love the tiny hair-like strands in the center.

Arija said...

True blue flowers have a great charm to them. I love this little wild Lily.

Rune Eide said...

Me again - Thank you for the comment! BTW Azaleas are no considered a subspecies of rhododendrons, so you have them!

Anya said...

Fantastic shot :)
Lovely flower I like the color :)

Anonymous said...

Lovely lovely blue. I don't think we have it here...reminds me of Periwinkle. Do you know, I think wildflowers are truly beautiful-why call them weeds?

flurrious said...

Thanks for your earlier comment! You have a lovely blog; the photos are beautiful. And congratulations on your new great-granddaughter!

Jeannelle said...

Lovely blue in this flower, Pat. We see patches of Spiderwort in the ditches later in the summer. If you rub the petals even a little, they disintegrate into a gooey substance.

DeniseinVA said...

It's a beautiful flower and I always love that color blue. Thank you for sharing it and have a great week.

Julie said...

Oh, I always wondered what the name of the little flower was, so pretty. Lovely shot.

Sniffles and Smiles said...

I thank God for blogging for it has introduced me to you! Thank you for visiting today...your warmth, and kindness mean so very, very much to me! ~Janine XO

glenda said...

I also love this flower, would love to have this in my garden in Cabot Ar

George said...

This is indeed a beautiful flower. Thanks for sharing it with us.

abb said...

One of my favorite flowers. Love it's color. You captured it perfectly, Pat!

And I can't imagine what I possibly did without my wikipedia. I feel it was invented just for me! Bet a lot of folks feel that way.

EG CameraGirl said...

I grow spiderwort too. I think a European first discovered it in Virginia so I'm not surprised it grows in Arkansas too, though you are considerably further south.

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Pat,
That is a colour that I like. We often take these wayside attractions for granted but when you get closer look they reveal their beauty.

Greetings from Sri Lanka!

Corinne Rodrigues said...

Hi Pat - Thank you! I loved the quote you shared. Have blogrolled you and become a 'follower'.

Take care and look forward to being in touch.
Corinne