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*Commelina communis Linnaeus. Common Dayflower. Phen: May-Oct. Hab: Gardens, bottomlands, disturbed ground, and a common invader of rocky glades. Dist: Native of the Old World.

Origin/Endemic status: Eurasia

Taxonomy Comments: Var. communis and var. ludens are sometimes distinguished (see synonymy): var. communis has flowers with larger petals pale blue and sterile anthers completely yellow, var. ludens has larger petals intense violet blue and sterile anthers with a brownish-purple spot.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, ETx1, FNA22, GrPl, GW1, Il, K3, K4, Mi, Mo1, NcTx, NE, NY, RAB, S, S13, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, Brashier (1966), Faden (1993); > Commelina communis L. – Tat; > Commelina communis L. var. communis – F, G, K1, Pa, WV, Tucker (1989); > Commelina communis L. var. ludens – F, G, K1, Pa, WV, Tucker (1989); > Commelina debilis Ledeb. – Tat

Links to other floras: = Commelina communis - FNA22

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
  • Great Plains: FAC
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FAC

Heliophily ⓘ: 7

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image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alaina Krakowiak, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alaina Krakowiak source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Nathan Aaron | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect to sprawling annual of gardens, bottomlands and disturbed ground; a common invader of rocky glades. Native of Asia.

Stems: Stems branched, smooth, sometimes rooting at nodes.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile-clasping with sheathing bases, oval to lance-oval, 2-5 in. long, glossy and smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers solitary in leaf axils, on a stalk with a folded leaflike bract below; blue, 1/2-1 in. wide, consisting of 2 large blue petals, 1 small white petal, 3 whitish-translucent sepals, 5-6 stamens and a long white style. Each flower blooms during the morning for a single day.

Fruits: Fruit a rounded capsule.

Comments:

Height: 12-32 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect to sprawling annual of gardens, bottomlands and disturbed ground; a common invader of rocky glades. Native of Asia.

stems: Stems branched, smooth, sometimes rooting at nodes.

leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile-clasping with sheathing bases, oval to lance-oval, 2-5 in. long, glossy and smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers solitary in leaf axils, on a stalk with a folded leaflike bract below; blue, 1/2-1 in. wide, consisting of 2 large blue petals, 1 small white petal, 3 whitish-translucent sepals, 5-6 stamens and a long white style. Each flower blooms during the morning for a single day.

fruits: Fruit a rounded capsule.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: Asia