Tradescantia andersoniana Little Doll - Spiderwort

Tradescantia x andersoniana 'Little Doll' is charming and very compact with abundant light blue flowers over a long period. Unlike many other varieties, it keeps its beautiful dark green, neat ribbon-like foliage throughout the season. This hardy perennial thrives in cool and semi-shaded areas of the garden, or along streams or ponds.

'Little Doll' is a hybrid of Tradescantia originating from both Americas (Tradescantia ohiensis, T.subaspera, T virginiana). It belongs to the commelinaceae family. It forms a compact and round clump, 25 cm (10in) high, spreading up to 30 cm (12in). Its superb dark green foliage, folded longitudinally like grasses, emerges in spring and develops into a dense clump. Flowering begins in June and lasts throughout the summer. The simple and pure flowers are pale blue-mauve and flat, with well-contrasted yellow stamens. They bloom in pairs in terminal cymes at the top of stiff stems. Each flower only 'lives' for a few hours, but they are constantly and abundantly renewed above the foliage.

Tradescantia andersoniana 'Little Doll' is easy to grow and should be planted in humus-rich, moist to wet soil. This plant will thrive in a semi-shaded position, which it prefers. Regular watering will be necessary in full sun. In a moist rockery, at the foot of a shaded wall, in woodland or as a border plant, its blue flowers will brighten up all small shaded areas, with saxifrages and hostas. This perennial will also thrive in wet areas along stream banks or ponds, alongside Carex, Persicaria vacciniifolia, Primula bulleyana or Ophiopogon japonicus. It can also be successfully grown in pots, in semi-shade, with regular watering.