Asiatic Dayflower

One very small flower which I find rather delightful in the summertime is the Asiatic Dayflower. It bears that name because it is native to Asia and because the flowers typically only last one day. On my plants, though, new flowers appear the following day or two on other stalks of the plant, so there's seldom a shortage of blooms.

To illustrate the size of these charming little flowers, here is a shot with my thumbnail in the view for comparison:

Even though Dayflowers are native to eastern China and parts of southeast Asia, they have been introduced into eastern Europe (from Italy and the Balkan countries towards Russia) and into the eastern United States northward into Canada. ^[4]

The plants are edible but considered somewhat of a "famine crop" which people usually eat only when other food is not plentiful. Older plants tend to have a high concentration of oxylates, which can cause kidney stones when consumed in quantity. It is advised to only eat the younger plants and to cook them first to reduce the oxylates they contain. ^[1]

There are several species in the Commelina genus. Two of these species are a bit difficult to distinguish: Commelina communis versus Commelina erecta. Based on this description: "The erecta tends to stand up on its own, the communis crawls. ^[1], I am inclined to believe my plants are Commelina communis as they grow parallel to the ground for a short distance before shooting skywards. The part that is parallel to the ground can take root and continue the spread of the plant.

Dayflower plants grow rather prolifically and spread quickly unless stopped. They can be a nuisance for farmers, keeping intended crops from thriving. Dayflowers are also resistant to some herbicides such as glyphosate, which makes them especially difficult to control. ^[2] For that reason, they are considered a noxious weed in many areas where they live, including the regions of Asia where they originated. ^[4]

Besides being acceptable as a food to humans, they are also consumed by many animals. Natural remedies prepared from the plants seems to indicate that they might be good for reducing fever, and have some beneficial diuretic properties. The blue petals can be used to produce a blue dye, and another variety of the plant, Commelina communis var. hortensis, is prized for its larger blue petals from which more dye can be obtained. ^[4] Considering that they are a noxious weed in many areas, at least they have some purpose besides the beauty of their flowers.

In addition to the two large blue petals, there is a third petal in front which is usually white and very difficult to see as it is small and hidden underneath the yellow inflorescences and the stalks holding them. The following shot is a side-view showing part of the white petal.

When the flower vanishes, a little seed pod appears, which contains a couple of seeds. This is what one of the seed pods on my plants look like:

This is what the young plants look like, growing at the base of a tree in my yard. When older, they will get taller, not quite knee-height to me.

Another species, Commelina diffusa, is distinct for having three blue petals instead of two blue and one white. There is one species that is found in Africa and so-named Commelina africana. This species has yellow petals instead of blue. It has apparently been imported into the Tampa, Florida, area according to one of my sources. ^[1]

Another person on Hive recently posted a photo of one of these flowers, too! Be sure to check out the post ROCÍO: EL ESPEJO DE LA VIDA / DEW: THE MIRROR OF LIFE by @naneilopez and the lovely Dayflower she captured while covered in dew! 🙂