Bloomipedia
Western spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)
Photo: Brian Dickerson via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Western spiderwort

Tradescantia occidentalis

Western spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis) is a flowering plant in the Commelinaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–June across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Western spiderwort is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–June.

19states where USDA records it
2Bloomipedia state lists include it
5,959U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Colorado, Nebraska

Quick look

Tradescantia occidentalis, the prairie spiderwort or western spiderwort, is a plant in the dayflower family, Commelinaceae. It is common and widespread across the western Great Plains of the United States, as well as in Arizona, New Mexico, southern Utah, and Sonora, but is listed as a threatened species in Canada.

  • It belongs to the Commelinaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 19 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado and Nebraska. NatureServe
  • In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,670 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #32 among the 160 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 295 research-grade sightings of it in Nebraska, ranking #45 among the 147 flowers on our Nebraska list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (505 records)
Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
ColoradoNativeMay–June3,670
NebraskaNativefew records (9)295

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MS (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Tradescantia flumeninsis (“Inch Plant”), as toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records Western spiderwort in 19 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Baca, Bent, Boulder, Cheyenne, Custer, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Jefferson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Otero, Phillips, Prowers, Pueblo, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld, Yuma.

Nebraska counties with USDA records: Antelope, Arthur, Blaine, Boone, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Chase, Cherry, Cheyenne, Cuming, Custer, Dawes, Deuel, Dundy, Franklin, Garden, Garfield, Greeley, Hall, Holt, Howard, Kearney, Keith, Kimball, Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Madison, Merrick, Morrill, Nuckolls, Pierce, Red Willow, Rock, Sarpy, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux, Thayer, Thomas.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 394 counties across 17 states; the most are in Texas (79), Kansas (51), Nebraska (44).

Other Tradescantia on Bloomipedia (1): Ohio spiderwort.

More from the Commelinaceae family (5 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Asiatic dayflower, Whitemouth dayflower, Scrambling dayflower, Virginia dayflower.

More Colorado flowers

Great mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Great mullein

Verbascum thapsus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in CO: July–October
Blue columbine (Aquilegia coerulea)

Blue columbine

Aquilegia coerulea

★ CO state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–August
Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)

Showy milkweed

Asclepias speciosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–July

Sources