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.
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35 comments:

  1. NitWit1June 7, 2009 at 7:06 AM

    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.

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  2. Sandi McBrideJune 7, 2009 at 8:01 AM

    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

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  3. Arkansas PattiJune 7, 2009 at 8:38 AM

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

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  4. Rune EideJune 7, 2009 at 9:23 AM

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

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  5. EuroangelJune 7, 2009 at 9:30 AM

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

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  6. pennyJune 7, 2009 at 10:15 AM

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

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  7. Betsy Banks AdamsJune 7, 2009 at 10:24 AM

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

    Thanks for sharing.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  8. VALKYRIENJune 7, 2009 at 10:41 AM

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

    Happy TF!
    Valkyrien

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  9. Sniffles and SmilesJune 7, 2009 at 11:24 AM

    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

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  10. SnapJune 7, 2009 at 11:30 AM

    Love it!

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  11. This Is My Blog - fishing guyJune 7, 2009 at 11:40 AM

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

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  12. judi/GmjJune 7, 2009 at 2:51 PM

    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

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  13. EbieJune 7, 2009 at 4:03 PM

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

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  14. CarlettaJune 7, 2009 at 4:08 PM

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

    My flower post is here: Carletta’s Captures.

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  15. Kerri FarleyJune 7, 2009 at 5:39 PM

    It's beautiful! I LOVE blue flowers!!

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  16. NaturegirlJune 7, 2009 at 5:45 PM

    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

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  17. MariamellieJune 7, 2009 at 5:54 PM

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

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  18. SandyCarlsonJune 7, 2009 at 8:17 PM

    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!

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  19. Luiz Santilli JrJune 7, 2009 at 10:02 PM

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

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  20. AnonymousJune 8, 2009 at 2:51 AM

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

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  21. ArijaJune 8, 2009 at 3:03 AM

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

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  22. Rune EideJune 8, 2009 at 3:06 AM

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

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  23. AnyaJune 8, 2009 at 9:29 AM

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

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  24. AnonymousJune 8, 2009 at 9:32 AM

    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?

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  25. flurriousJune 8, 2009 at 6:01 PM

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

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  26. JeannelleJune 8, 2009 at 11:03 PM

    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.

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  27. DeniseinVAJune 9, 2009 at 11:32 AM

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

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  28. JulieJune 9, 2009 at 12:51 PM

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

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  29. Sniffles and SmilesJune 9, 2009 at 4:26 PM

    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

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  30. glendaJune 9, 2009 at 8:08 PM

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

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  31. GeorgeJune 10, 2009 at 12:03 PM

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

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  32. abbJune 10, 2009 at 1:18 PM

    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.

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  33. EG CameraGirlJune 10, 2009 at 6:20 PM

    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.

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  34. Amila SalgadoJune 11, 2009 at 3:32 AM

    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!

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  35. Corinne RodriguesJune 11, 2009 at 8:04 AM

    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

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