Tradescantia x 'Sweet Kate' Spiderwort/Widow's Tears
About Our Plants
Rare Roots ships live, growing plants in one-quart pots all over the continental US. The rare exception is our slightly smaller 3.5" inch pot, which will be labeled on a few product pages.
The plants are not guaranteed to be blooming when they arrive, and the foliage may need to be trimmed before shipping to fit them in the box safely.
Our Guarantee:
Our plants are guaranteed to arrive safely in a suitable condition for planting. If they are damaged or if you have concerns, please inform us right away by sending pictures to info@rareroots.com. Even if you are planning to wait and see if it recovers, we need to document the damage on your order.
We are not able to offer warranties or extended guarantees on plants due to the sheer number of variables that can affect their growth and survival.
About Perennials:
Our plants are grown on our 30-acre outdoor nursery in Virginia (available by mail-order only). They are all considered "perennial" if planted within their preferred zone range.
Perennials planted in the coldest zone listed are considered "tender perennials", and may not overwinter in a severe winter. For example: if a plant is rated for zones 7-10, it would be a tender perennial in zone 7. It's best to plant these in spring or early summer, and preferably in a protected area (such as the South side of building).
You can find your growing zone here: [USDA website]
Description
Tradescantia x 'Sweet Kate' has arching, iris-like, bright chartreuse gold leaves that are folded lengthwise. Terminal clusters of three petaled, royal blue flowers are produced for much of the summer. The spent blooms turn into deep purple drops of liquid, hence the common name, Widow's Tears. This perennial is easy to grow and can tolerate a wide range situations. Cut back foliage after flowering to encourage fresh leaves and compact growth.
Also known as Spiderwort, Tradescantia has 33 species and is native to most of North America. Various species are naturally found in distinct areas, but many have been introduced into various other parts of North America. Many of the Tradescantia varieties in the trade are crosses of various species.
Tradescantia x 'Sweet Kate' prefers part sun or light shade with moist, rich soil, but will tolerate full sun with consistent moisture. It will grow in clay and it can withstand coastal conditions. 'Sweet Kate's foliage maintains its best color in some sun.
Characteristics
- Common Names: Spiderwort, Widow's Tears
- Zones: 5-8
- Light Requirements: Full Sun to Light Shade
- Soil Preference: Prefers moist soil
- Height at Maturity: 18-24"
- Width at Maturity: 24"
- Bloom Color: Blue
- Bloom Time: Late spring to early fall
Special Features
- Attracts: Butterflies.
- Tolerates: Deer. Rabbits. Clay Soil. Coastal Conditions. Juglone.
- Other Features: Native to North America.
Care and Growing Tips
Check out our blog for more gardening tips!
Shipping Info
SPRING SHIPPING SCHEDULE 2025
All Planting Zones shipping now!
We only ship on Mondays and Tuesdays to ensure that plants can travel during the weekdays.
Plants take 2-3 days to arrive after you receive a notification that they've been shipped.
We appreciate your patience while our small team works to get your plants to you safely! If you need a specific shipping week, you are welcome to let us know by leaving a note on the Cart page or replying to your order confirmation email.
If an order has been placed for a zone that has already shipped, it will be shipped with the next available zone shipping week based on the order it was received.
Our boxes come in four sizes: 1-count, 3-count, 6-count, and 12-count.
To get the best shipping rates per plant, try to fill a box of 3, 6, or 12. Shipping rates are calculated at checkout by weight, package size, and distance.
Our nursery is located in Virginia, and it can sometimes be costly to ship to the western US. Ground shipping is too slow cross-country for the plants to arrive safely, so our options are limited to faster shipping methods. We appreciate your understanding!
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We ship via UPS or USPS (the Post Office), and their ship rates are automatically generated through our site. We do not profit on shipping costs. We are working with these providers to get our customers the best rates possible.
All ship times are subject to change if extreme weather conditions are present here at the nursery or at the shipping destination.
Please note: Depending on the time of year, the foliage of the plants may be trimmed to fit into our shipping boxes. This could delay the flowering of the plant, but many perennials actually benefit from being cut back.
We are currently not able to ship to Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and outside of the US.