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Sweet Kate Spiderwort

Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate'

Nature Hills Nursery
$3170
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Plant Size

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: Provide at least six hours of direct sun to keep the chartreuse foliage vibrant. In hotter southern zones, afternoon shade is helpful to prevent the leaves from bleaching or scorching in the intense heat.
  • Soil: This perennial prefers rich, organic soil that retains moisture well. If you have sandy soil that drains too quickly, mix in compost or peat moss to help hold water near the roots.

Watering Requirements

During the first growing season, water twice a week to ensure the root system establishes deeply. Mature plants prefer consistently moist ground and will show stress by developing brown leaf tips if the soil stays dry for too long. Maintaining even moisture is the key to keeping the golden leaves looking fresh rather than crispy during the heat of July.

Pruning Tips

Sweet Kate blooms on new growth, so you should cut the entire plant down to about three inches above the ground once the first round of flowering finishes in midsummer. Think of this like a mid-season haircut that removes the older, leggy stems and encourages a flush of tidy new foliage. This practice often triggers a second bloom cycle in the fall and keeps the plant from looking messy in your landscape.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer once in early spring as the new green shoots emerge from the soil. Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer because this can result in weak, spindly stems that flop over. Excess nitrogen encourages rapid leaf growth at the expense of the sturdy structure needed to hold up those violet-blue flowers.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4 Week of March 30th
Zone 5 Week of March 16th
Zone 6 Week of March 2nd
Zone 7-12 Week of February 23rd


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Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
$100 - $149.99 $16.99
$150 - $198.99 $24.99
$199+ FREE

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Unlike the Elizabethan love song, this Sweet Kate will not run away and leave you plaining! The Sweet Kate Spiderwort (Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate') is a brightly colored and reliable perennial plant! This brilliant gold leaf form of Tradescantia. This new import from the UK is taking the gardening world by storm!

The brilliant golden long, arching grass-like foliage of Spiderworts looks very similar to a Daylily's. The clustered mounds quickly become highlighted with a procession of deep purple-blue flowers from late spring until fall! Sweet Kate flowers open broad and flat in the heat of the day, then wither and curl under to be replaced the next morning by a new batch of blooms! The three-petalled flowers are quickly replaced with new blooms and attract bees and butterflies!

When the stems of Spiderworts are cut, a viscous stem secretion is released which becomes threadlike and silky upon hardening, like a spider's web! That is how it got its name! Hardy perennials throughout USDA planting zones 5 to 8, these smaller plants grow just 12 inches tall but can mature 3 feet wide!

Planting and Application:

The clump-forming 'spidery' foliage is perfect as border plants along pathways and driveways, their fine-textured foliage sweeping the ground elegantly. Use as landscape bed edging and vibrant additions to Perennial and Cottage gardens!

Show off these brilliant plants for their bright foliage color by planting in rows or groupings to maximize their color! But you don't need to plant them in large drifts to enjoy their bright foliage. Spiderwort looks just as pretty as the thriller, spiller, and filler in container gardens and feature plantings alike!

Tolerating occasional wet soil, that tricky spot by the gutters or a Rain Garden are both fitting locations for these moisture-loving perennials! Brighten the shade and fill those high-moisture garden beds without worrying, Tradescantia are resilient and virtually indestructible, deer-resistant, adaptable, and long-blooming!

  • Deep Purple Blue Three-Petalled Flowers
  • Long Grassy Slender Bright Green-Gold Foliage
  • Flowers Last One Day - Quickly Replaced With New Spring til Fall
  • Pollinator-Friendly Brilliant Perennials
  • Fine-Textured Edging, Specimens, Container Plants & Rain Gardens

#ProPlantTips for Care:

The golden foliage is brightest in full sun, but they tolerate partial shade as well. Any well-drained soil that is enriched and mulched to keep the roots cool is ideal for these cheerful herbaceous perennials! In drier settings provide regular moisture access and a 3-4 inch deep layer of mulch to keep the roots cool and moist.

If flowering slows, 'behead' Sweet Kate, and it will start to regrow and flower all over again! In the early spring, clean away the dead foliage from the year before. Being a vigorous grower, each plant becomes a true masterpiece!

  • Partial Shade & Full Sun In Cooler Climates
  • Well-Drained Rich Soil
  • Moderate to Higher Moisture Needs
  • Deadhead For Rebloom & Prune Early Spring
  • Deer Resistant Perennials

Order the brilliant gold and deep blue power combo of this lovely and lasting perennial! Sweet Kate Spiderwort will not leave your heart's affections wanting. Order now at NatureHills.com and begin enjoying these pretty perennials today!

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