Tradescantia fluminensis

Small leaf spiderwort

Family: Commelinaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Small leaf spiderwort is a naturalized perennial found in the San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, and southern California coastal regions in shaded woodlands and streambanks at elevations of 70 to 255 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces delicate white to pale lavender flowers in small terminal clusters. Growing with slender, sprawling stems up to 30 centimeters long, it forms dense, spreading mats in moist, shaded areas. Its glossy green leaves are smooth and elongated, measuring 25 to 60 millimeters in length, with a soft, almost translucent appearance. The flower sepals are 5 to 7 millimeters long, adding a subtle delicacy to its overall form.

Habitat: Shaded woodland, streambanks

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 70-255 m

Bioregions: SnJV, SnFrB, SCoRO, SCo

California counties: Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Ventura, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Alameda, Fresno, Sacramento, Yolo, Marin, Monterey

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.