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Common Name: Day Flower

General Information

Commelina communis is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.75 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - S. China, Japan, India.

Habitat

Partly shaded grassy places, cultivated fields and roadsides usually in moist places all over Japan[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.75 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a light well-drained loam with added leafmold[, ]. Requires a sheltered position[].
This species is commonly cultivated as a vegetable in China[].
The plant can be invasive[], the stems sprawling along the ground and rooting as they go[].

Edible Uses

Leaves, flowers and young shoots - raw or cooked[, , ]. Chopped finely and added to salads or cooked as a potherb[]. A sweet taste with a mucilaginous texture[].

Medicinal

The leaves are depurative, diuretic and febrifuge[, ]. Used as a throat gargle to relieve sore throats and tonsilitis[, ].
A decoction of the dried plant is used to treat bleeding, diarrhoea, fever etc[].
Extracts of the plant show antibacterial activity[].

Other Uses

A bright blue dye is obtained from the petals[].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 4 - 5 weeks at 20°c[]. 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[, ].
Cuttings during the growing season. Very easy[].