This weed welcomes early spring with a sudden appearance of showy deep blue, rose, or white petals. It is also known as "cow slobber" since the petals shrivel to a jelly like fluid in the heat of the day. The individual flowers last only one day but each plant will produce 20 or more flowers per stem.

The Hairy Spiderwort (Trandescantia hirsuticaulis) is one of 71 known species, 12 of which are common to Texas. Other members of the Spiderwort family include the Day-flower and Wandering Jew.

There are two accounts of how the Spiderwort got its name. It was once thought to be a cure for spider bites, thus the name, Spiderwort (spider flower). The most likely account, however, refers to the stamen which look like spider legs.

At least one species, the Prairie Spiderwort, has edible leaves and flowers. They can be eaten raw or boiled but the root is poisonous. The Cherokee Indians used the Spiderwort as a tea for digestive problems and would rub crushed leaves on insect bites or stings.

Other interesting facts: Flowers of some of the plants change color when exposed to nuclear radiation and are used by several environmental groups as monitoring devices around nuclear plants. It takes 158,400 seeds to make a pound.