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Commelina virginica - L.

Common Name Virginia Day-Flower
Family Commelinaceae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Wet places, especially swamps, river and stream banks, ditches, and bottomlands in shade or full sun[270].
Range Southern N. America. Naturalized in Europe in S. Italy[50].
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Well drained soil Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Commelina virginica Virginia Day-Flower


USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Commelina virginica Virginia Day-Flower
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Commelina virginica is a ANNUAL/PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft). It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Root
Edible Uses:

Tubers - cooked. Rich in starch, but with a fairly bland flavour. Edible leaves[105].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers a light fairly dry well-drained loam with added leafmold[42]. Prefers a sunny position with some shelter[164]. Plants are not very winter hardy in Britain, the roots are best dug up in autumn and stored like dahlias in a cool frost free place[1]. When grown in a light well-drained soil and mulched well, the roots usually survive the winter outdoors. The roots of this plant do not seem to be tuberous, the plant seems to be more like an annual[K].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow March in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 4 - 5 weeks at 20°c[164]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in early spring. Make sure that each portion has at least one growing bud[111, K]. Cuttings during the growing season. Very easy[200].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: United States (Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Commelina coelestisBlue Spider Wort, CommelinaPerennial0.5 8-11  LNDM20 
Commelina communisDay Flower, Asiatic dayflowerPerennial0.8 6-9  LMSNDM321
Commelina dianthifoliaBirdbill DayflowerPerennial0.1 6-9  LMSNDM21 
Commelina elliptica Perennial0.1 7-10  LMSNDM20 
Commelina erectaSlender Day-Flower, Whitemouth dayflowerPerennial1.2 8-11  LMSNDM20 
Commelina erecta angustifoliaWhitemouth DayflowerPerennial0.8 8-11  LMSNDM21 
Commelina tuberosaCommelinaPerennial0.1 7-10  LMSNDM20 
Tradescantia virginianaSpiderwort, Virginia spiderwortPerennial0.4 4-9 MLMHSNDM21 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

43235274

Links / References

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