PLANT PROFILE: Spiderwort

Name: Spiderwort 

Botanical Name: Tradescantia species 

Common Names: Widow’s Tears, Wandering Bloom, Cow Slobber, Inchplant, Wandering Jew, Dayflower 

Location: North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, 

& Australia

Element: Water 

Planet: Moon & Venus 

Magickal Purpose: Adaptability, Clarity, Cleanings & Purification, Communication, Emotional Healing, Peace & Harmony, Protection, Psychic Power & Intuition, , Revealing Hidden Truths

There is something humble and peculiar about the Spiderwort. It does not arrive with the fiery drama of trumpet vines or the heavy perfume of jasmine. Instead, it appears quietly along fence lines, beneath old oaks, beside forgotten trails where the soil still remembers rain. Its flowers open with the morning light and close again by afternoon, as though the plant itself understands the fleeting nature of beautiful things. 

The first time I noticed Spiderwort growing wild in Florida, it was tucked beside a drainage ditch after summer rain. Thin green blades tangled together in every direction, but above them floated delicate violet-blue blooms that seemed almost too soft for the heat. There was a calmness around the plant, something cooling and steady. Since then, I have come to think of Spiderwort as one of the overlooked healers of the garden, a plant that teaches resilience without force. 

Spiderwort bends instead of breaks. Heavy rains flatten it, only for it to rise again a day later. Drought may dull its leaves, yet the moment water returns, so does its color. In folk magick, plants that endure hardship without losing their gentleness are often tied to emotional restoration and inner balance. Spiderwort carries that kind of energy and life force. 

Its association with the Moon comes naturally. The blossoms appear and disappear with rhythm and timing, reminding us that not everything is meant to remain open forever. Some things bloom only briefly, and there is wisdom in that. Spiderwort is a plant for calming emotional storms, softening conflict within the home, easing heartbreak, and helping the spirit adapt to change without becoming bitter. 

SPIDERWORT MOON WATER

A recipe for emotional clarity, peace within the home, and calming anxious energy. For this recipe you will need the following ingredients, 

One small handful fresh Spiderwort blossoms 

Two Cups Spring Water 

One teaspoon dried Chamomile 

Small piece of Moonstone or Clear Quartz 

Silver or Glass Bowl 

Place the flowers and chamomile into the bowl and pour the spring water over them. Set the bowl beneath moonlight overnight, preferably during a waxing or full moon. Add the stone beside or within the bowl while it charges. By morning, strain the liquid and store it in a clean glass jar in the refrigerator for up to several days. This water may be lightly dabbed onto the wrists before meditation, added to ritual baths, or used to wipe down mirrors and doorframes during cleansing rites. It is especially useful during periods of grief, emotional exhaustion, or tension within the household. 

COMMUNICATION CHARM

A charm for easing arguments, encouraging understanding, and opening gentle communication. For this rite you will need the following ingredients, 

Fresh or dried Spiderwort Blossoms 

Lavender Buds 

Small pinch of Lemon Balm 

Blue Thread or Cloth 

Wrap the herbs together in the cloth while focusing on the outcome you wish to create. This charm is not intended to dominate another person’s will, but instead to soften harsh words and encourage calm discussion where emotions have become tangled. Hold the bundle in both hands and state out loud the following incantation, 

“Where voices harden, let them soften. Where silence lingers, let truth flow.
Like rain returning to thirsty earth, May understanding gently grow.” 

Keep the charm near a bedside, beneath a pillow, or somewhere peaceful within the home. 

SPIDERWORT RAIN INCENSE

A recipe for emotional renewal, dreamwork, and quiet spiritual reflection. For this recipe you will need the following ingredients, 

Two tablespoons dried Spiderwort Blossoms 

One tablespoon Mugwort 

One teaspoon dried Rose Petals 

Small pinch Sandalwood Powder 

Tiny pinch Sea Salt 

Grind the dried ingredients together slowly by hand. Spiderwort carries a soft, watery nature, and this blend works best during evening rituals, divination, journaling, or spiritual baths. Burn a small amount on charcoal or add sparingly to ritual fires while reflecting on emotions that need release. The scent is earthy, green, and subtle, more like rain-soaked gardens than heavy incense smoke. 

GARDEN OF PEACE FLOOR WASH 

For restoring harmony after arguments or heavy emotional energy. For this recipe you will need the following ingredients, 

One cup fresh Spiderwort 

Three cups Rainwater or Spring Water 

One tablespoon Sea Salt 

Slices of fresh Cucumber 

Five drops Lavender essential oil 

Steep the Spiderwort in hot water until cooled. Strain thoroughly and add the remaining ingredients. Use the wash around doorways, thresholds, patios, or floors while visualizing stagnant emotions dissolving and leaving the space. This wash is especially comforting after stressful gatherings, emotional upheaval, or periods when a home feels unsettled. 

Some plants arrive loudly in our lives, demanding attention with fragrance or spectacle. Spiderwort is not one of them. Its medicine is quieter. It teaches softness without weakness, flexibility without surrender, and the strange strength found in living gently. In many ways, it is a reminder that survival itself can be sacred. 

The old gardens of the South are full of plants like this, ordinary to some, deeply enchanted to others. Spiderwort may grow unnoticed beside roadsides and ponds, but those who work closely with plants know that the most powerful allies are not always the rarest or most dramatic. Sometimes they are simply the ones that remain standing after every storm. 

*Firewolf’s Plant Profile Blogs gather these hidden allies, weaving their magick into spells, charms, and seasonal rites, little sparks to brighten the path of your practice. The garden of the world is full of secrets, where every leaf and blossom hides a touch of enchantment. Some herbs are well-traveled companions in spellwork, but many curious plants still linger in the shadows, waiting to share their charms. Firewolf’s Plant Profile Blogs wander into this hidden greenwood, gathering up the lesser-known allies of witchcraft. Each entry offers a sprinkle of plant wisdom, a dash of correspondences, and a spell or recipe or two, little treasures to stir into your craft and awaken new magick in your practice.

Kyle Brandon Leite (Firewolf)

www.firewolfsmagic.com