Weldenia

Weldenia is a monotypic genus in the spiderwort family (Commelinaceae), containing a single species, Weldenia candida, native to the high mountains of Mexico and Guatemala, where it grows above 3000 m in coniferous forest. This tuberous-rooted plant, with brittle roots, produces narrow, strap-shaped leaves, hairy beneath, which elongate after flowering to more than 20 cm. It stands out among Commelinaceae, which are mostly blue-flowered, for its pure white, three-petalled flowers produced simultaneously in numbers. In cultivation it requires well-drained soil, a sunny position, and winter protection given its high-altitude origin.