It is the type species of the genus Tradescantia, native to the eastern United States.

Virginia spiderwort is an herbaceous, perennial, clump-forming plant that is native to eastern and central United States and Ontario, Canada.

It is considered a wildflower, and whole plant habits include arching, clumping, erect, and spreading.

The leaf blades are elongate, arching, long, and narrow with a prominent midrib that gradually ends in a tapered tip.

The fruit of this species is a capsule, which is hairless, 4-7 millimeters long, and yields 6 seeds or fewer.

[6] After flowering, the petals dissolve into drops of purple liquid, and the pedicles recurve, which positions the fruit capsules below the bracts.

[6] [7] [8] This species is native to the eastern and central United States in a variety of states, including Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Along with this species’ native range, it has also been introduced into the state of California and in other countries, including France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Madeira, North Caucasus, and Transcaucasus.

Virginia spiderwort is known to prefer shaded areas but can sometimes be found in full sun.

[4] [9] A United States native group of 17 species are particularly close relatives of T. virginiana and many are known to hybridize.

The youngest John Tradescant traveled to Virginia in the 1630s, who then sent specimens back to England, particularly of the genus Tradescantia.

[8] Virginia spiderwort has a history of ethnobotany that is tied to Native American tribes, specifically the Cherokee, for food and medicinal purposes.

For medicinal purposes, the plant was often mashed and rubbed onto insect bites to relieve itching and related pain.

Another explanation claims that the name may be based on the threadlike secretions that come from the stem when cut, which resemble spider silk.

[9] [14] Virginia spiderwort is a sturdy plant and will persist in a variety of sunlight and soil conditions.

These plants can also be partially controlled by dividing them and regularly removing slumping stalks every two (2) to four (4) years.