Need help identifying a plant

We have an excess of containers floating around. Some have dirt in them. Today I went out and found this. I didn't plant it. It's gorgeous. I was wondering if anyone knows what it is. Thanks in advance.

Some call it spiderwort. It's in the Tradescantia genus.
It growing around my house too. East central Indiana.

Pete

I've got tons of this stuff growing in a long-neglected landscaped area of my house. Pretty yes, but it's quite vigorous

Somehow I came across this plant identification guide. My daughter was positive the plant was a house plant gone wild. It didn't quite look the same as a wandering jew. This is what I found: www.wildflowers-guide.com/10-asiatic-dayflower.html Both the Wandering Jew and this are in the Spiderwort family. According to the guide, this an asiatic dayflower. It is one of the very few with true blue flowers. I'm glad I caught it on camera because the flower only lasts one day. I am starting to experience all sorts of odd plants just showing up in the yard. The birds are bringing in strange new seeds.

Linda Listing
Western PA
Zone 6

Hey linda i think you have the proper id there. Here is a permies thread about its uses

I love it when the birds plant some things and surprise me.

Right now i have a patch of commelina under a baby honey locust, under some pine trees. It gets a lot more sun than it used to but its growing well. It is vigorous but easily pulled out if it starts taking over.

Zach,
Thank you! You've made me very happy. I didn't know it was a dyeplant. I am a fiber artist who works with natural dyes. This is a new one for me. I will definitely look it up and experiment. I am going to have so much fun! You made my day.

Linda

is it the same as or related to this plant that I noticed in Ladakh for the first time this year? (It may have been there all along but I never noticed it before)

First plant is actually Dayflower. 2nd plant is smartweed.

The plant IS asiatic dayflower, but it is NOT Tradescantia species. (That is the problem with using common names.) It is actually Comelina communis and it is an edible plant. We have it all over our garden, chicken and goat yards. It is prolific to the point of invasiveness, but if you like salads and cooked greens, you can just eat the weeds and keep it in check. It is slightly mucilaginous, so if you don't like things like okra or sweet potato leaves, Malabar spinach or cactus pads, you may not care for this either. Personally, I love it -- I'm having it in a salad even as I write this!



I forgot to add that it is, indeed. a dye plant -- yielding a true, brilliant blue dye. That is a rarity among dye plants. The only thing is that it is nor very color-fast and fades significantly in sunlight. Just use it for evening wear and you'll be fine!