Tough Love spiderwort is a Chicagoland Grows® selection. Chicagoland Grows® is a plant introduction partnership of the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Morton Arboretum and the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois formed to promote plant cultivars that perform well in northern Illinois. This variety was developed at the Chicago Botanic Garden from two Great Plains species that are naturally found in full sun to light shade on barren, dry, rocky, clay to sandy soils in contrast to most commercially available spiderworts that prefer shade and moist soils.

The 1-inch-wide, vivid reddish-purple flowers are borne in great profusion in May and early June, literally covering the centers of the plants. Like all spiderworts, each flower lasts but a day. Plants can repeat bloom through late August. Unlike many spiderworts, Tough Love tends to remain evergreen through the summer months, except in exceptionally hot and dry summers, where the foliage may disappear in late July or early August, to be replaced by September with new growth.