Native Dayflower: Commelina virginica, Virginia Dayflower

Paula Boundy 09August2021

Most of us who garden, whether with mostly native Virginia plants or otherwise, are familiar with the invasive Asiatic dayflower, Commelina communis, a weedy annual.

When I began botanizing on behalf of the Northern Neck Native Plant Society with Marie Minor in 2007, she told me that there is a perennial native Virginia dayflower, Commelina virginica, which looks similar but has THREE larger blue petals. In my recollection, I have never found this plant, native to the Northern Neck, on the Northern Neck. I was desirous of this native for my garden!

A few years ago, I was searching for something else when I came across a kindred spirit online who lives near Williamsburg who had posted pictures of Virginia dayflower on her property. I contacted her to request a plant or seeds. She sent me 9 seeds. I gave the seeds to Ted Munns, current NNNPS President, who as a Master Gardener and Master Naturalist has great success in germinating seeds. He got 8 plants. Those plants were given out to gardeners I knew that had the plant’s habitat of wetlands. This is a 2019 photo of the first year’s plant blooming in a flower bed [belonging to Skip Penner in Port Haywood] that receives extra watering. Another couple of plants were added to a rain garden near Weems [belonging to Carol Sennott]. The second year the plants expanded and set multiple seed heads. In 2021, the plants exponentially expanded by rhizomes and were divided. These divisions will be offered for sale in 2021!

According to the Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora [vaplantatlas.org] Virginia dayflower is native to all counties of the Northern Neck, grows 1-3 foot from a fibrous root, has blue blooms in May - October, and needs moist to wet soil in any light condition [more sun results in more flowers usually]. It is in the same botanical family as Tradescantia species, which although native in Virginia, has no species native to the Northern Neck.

So in 2021, my quest was completed thanks to kindred spirits and I have Virginia dayflower in my Aylett garden. Help me repopulate the Northern Neck with this plant by purchasing it for your garden.