How to Grow and Care for Spiderlings

Scarlet spiderling (Boerhavia coccinea) is an herbaceous perennial trailing plant that will grow to 91 cm long. Stems are fuzzy and foliage is sticky, forming large spreading mats along the ground. Blooms from spring to fall with small clusters of tiny, frilly pink flowers that grow on a round flower head. It attracts butterflies and caterpillars.

Erect spiderling (Boerhavia erecta) is one of those plants whose fruits have a nasty habit of clinging to fur or clothing. Don't be surprised if one tries to hitch a ride with you! The stems also release sticky secretions that have the effect of trapping insects, though it's unknown if this is a case of carnivory or deterrence.

Red spiderling (Boerhavia diffusa) is a herbaceous perennial plant with delicate pink flowers. The plant's roots are eaten in native Australian cultures, and it is eaten as a leafy vegetable in many Asian and African countries. This plant has been listed as an invasive species in many countries including Cambodia, Chile, and Japan.

The yam plant can be found in the tropics of Africa, Asia, and Australia. It lives in relatively dry coastal regions and will readily bloom all year long. The genus was named for Dutch botanist Herman Boerhaave.

The leaves are lance-shaped to oblong with rippled edges and roughly pointed ends. Most of the leaves grow near the base of the plant. The inflorescences appear at the ends of the slim stem branches. They bear a few pale pink flowers, each just a few millimeters long, with adjacent reddish or pinkish bracts.