Smooth Spiderwort

My walk on this day took me up Tow Hill, and I stopped to photograph the many wildflowers that grow along the road. I did not know what this plant was, but I loved the color. Purple's my favorite. I looked it up and the plant identifier website says it's smooth spiderwort, Tradescantia ohiensis, also known as Ohio spiderwort.

The Internet says all parts of this plant are edible, and many parts were used as medicine. It prefers partial shade. One reference says this:

The root was once mashed and turned into a paste to treat wounds. The seeds, though bitter, were roasted and eaten. The flowers were powdered and used as a snuff to treat nosebleeds, and they can still serve as an edible garnish on a salad. Spiderwort leaves are edible when young and can be tossed into salad greens after being boiled or fried. The aloe-like mucus from the leaves can be spread on insect bites to relieve itching.

So now I have learned a thing or two about spiderwort! The flower is purple and so I've selected a tune by Deep Purple. Tow Hill is a far cry from a highway, but this purple flower is definitely a star. Here is Deep Purple, with Highway Star.