Here is another mystery plant fron our condo garden. It is about three feet tall. There are small purple flowers at the top of each stalk. They close at night and are about an inch across. There is also a close-up of the stalks. Thanks in advance for your help. ( photo / image / picture from Karen B's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Karen B's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Karen B's Garden )
The flowers remind me of Spiderwort. (Tradescantia occidentalis) But the kind we have here don't grow that tall. Maybe it's in the same family?
It's the Tradescantia occidentalis (Prairie Spiderwort) Mine gets to be over 3 feet tall by the end of the summer.
More information: This is growing in Minnesota - Zone 4. It was not planted this year so it overwintered during an average cold winter but had several inches of mulch on it. It is in a very sunny location in soil that, while not sandy, has a lot of sand in it. Because of our early warm spring, all of our plants are blooming very early and about 25% or more taller than expected.
I like your Tradescantia. They're so lush-looking. Our spring was late in coming and so far it's been colder than normal, whatever "normal" might be these days.
