Is this a flower or a weed?

caroln242 · ‎02-25-2020

I had this "volunteer" come up in my garden. I didn't plant it, don't know where it came from, don't know what it is. It just has a tiny purple flower at the top of a long stem. Thought I'd leave it alone...a flower is a flower is a flower!

Thanks all!

Man plans. God laughs.

newagain888888 · ‎12-31-2010

Spiderwort is a spring-blooming plant with long, strappy leaves and blue-purple buds. Native to North America, South America, and Central America, it's a beloved addition to any garden thanks to its easy care and weeks-long bloom period. Spiderwort is characterized by a messy, grass-like form (its leaves can grow up to two feet in height each season) punctuated with quarter-sized flowers that last only one day. Luckily, each plant produces many buds throughout spring and into early summer. When cracked open, the stem of the spiderwort secrets a white, sticky substance that becomes thread-like and silky once hardened (similar to a spider's web), thus coining its unusual common name.

caroln242 · ‎02-25-2020

Wow...thanks for the speedy response! I sure don't know how I ended up with a volunteer spiderwort plant, but I'm glad I didn't yank it! (I hope I didn't accidently pull up any others when I weeded last month!)

Thanks a lot.

Man plans. God laughs.

candys mine · ‎08-20-2012

Yup, Spiderwart. Commonly purple flowers but Rarely you'll get a plant with Pink flowers. I don't know if they are a weed or not. They're pretty though.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

At my house, it is (or was) a weed.

ThinkingOutLoud · ‎05-01-2020

@Sooner wrote:
At my house, it is (or was) a weed.

I'm with you. If something looks like a weed, it's gone. After all, dandelions have yellow blossoms but I don't want them covering my lawn.

drizzellla · ‎03-14-2010

@caroln242 wrote:
Wow...thanks for the speedy response! I sure don't know how I ended up with a volunteer spiderwort plant, but I'm glad I didn't yank it! (I hope I didn't accidently pull up any others when I weeded last month!)
Thanks a lot.

Caroln242 - I am forever pulling up what I thought were weeds - and they weren't. Lose so many plants that way.

GoneButNotForgotten · ‎03-29-2020

@newagain888888 wrote:
Spiderwort is a spring-blooming plant with long, strappy leaves and blue-purple buds. Native to North America, South America, and Central America, it's a beloved addition to any garden thanks to its easy care and weeks-long bloom period. Spiderwort is characterized by a messy, grass-like form (its leaves can grow up to two feet in height each season) punctuated with quarter-sized flowers that last only one day. Luckily, each plant produces many buds throughout spring and into early summer. When cracked open, the stem of the spiderwort secrets a white, sticky substance that becomes thread-like and silky once hardened (similar to a spider's web), thus coining its unusual common name.

so THAT's what it is! I have it all over my flower beds and wondered if they're related to Forget Me Nots. pretty flower! Thanks for the information.

lovinglife · ‎03-18-2010

From a gardening site

Plants grow in clumps up to 3 feet across in hardiness zones 4-9. Spiderwort is invasive! The plant self seeds and grows everywhere in the yard growing in tight bundles choking out other plants. The roots go down about 2-3 inches, and are tightly packed making it difficult to remove. The plant is a vigorous grower. A number of species have become pests to cultivated crops. Shear back after their last flowering, so that they do not go to seed.