spiderwort

I have discovered LOTS of spiderwort growing under the stairs of our deck. I wasn't sure what it was til I bought a pot of it and then lo and behold, I get home and it's the same thing. Can you propagate it by stem cuttings? Thanks, Susan

Good morning, neighbor! I'm guessing you have Tradescantia andersonia or virginiana, aka Spiderwort.

Their "cousin" Wandering Jew (another Tradescantia) is propagated by stem cuttings. However, these are commonly propagated by divisions in the spring. I couldn't find anything on stem cuttings for dividing them. You can cut them back after flowering to encourage a second flush of flowers.

I guess that's what it is! I'm not familiar with most of the Latin names of plants. I had seen this one blooming last summer but didn't really pay much attention to it. My dear husband certainly didn't plant it so I just assumed it was a weed and ignored it. I thought it was pretty but then I like a lot of what people would call weeds. I thought it looked sort of like a wandering Jew. I went out this morning and just started pulling up some little plants/shoots to see if they had long tap roots or individual little plants. All of the ones I pulled up have good roots and came up easily. I have them in pots now. Hopefully they will survive and I can move some of them out from under the deck and stairs.

Trandescantia isn't exactly what I'd call invasive, but once you have it, well, let's just say you'll soon be able to share! I have 3 or 4 colors that were here before I was and have moved some around - even dug one plant out last year, left it sitting on the ground all 250+-inches-of-snow winter and it was putting up shoots until it was flung into the ditch by someone who will remain nameless (he was mowing the lawn, it was in his way, I didn't say anything at all!).

Kathleen,
I'm pretty sure I'm at the point I could share now. I have pulled up several of the smaller pieces and each of them had roots. I put them in pots to make sure they would grow and so far, so good. There is a BUNCH of this stuff. Before I start getting rid of it, though, I want to see if I can get it grow from stem cuttings.
I used to have one of those 'he who will remain nameless'. I had spent a long time planting and nurturing azaleas along the front of the property line under some big pine trees. They were not BIG azaleas but they were noticeable nonetheless. I looked out one day to see this person mowing the yard and ran straight over the entire line of them. He 'didn't see them'. I wasn't as nice as you. I DID say something, quite a bit as a matter of fact!

How far do you cut Spiderwort back? To the ground or just cut off the dead bloom? I really miss when it stops blooming.

Hi, I cut mine way back, about an inch from the ground, almost all my family, friends and trades now have spiderwort. I love the length of bloom and the fact of it re-blooming; the second flush of blooms in my garden are not as heavy as the first.

I thought since I was farther North then the Zone 7 gals maybe I wouldn't have to wait for re-blooming, but your even farther North then me. It seems like last year it regrew quickly and just as heavy. Thanks for the answer.