Herb: Day Flower


Latin name: Commelina communis


Family: Commelinaceae (Spiderwort Family)



Medicinal use of Day Flower:

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.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
75 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
July to
September

Habitat of the herb:

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

Edible parts of Day Flower:

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.

Other uses of the herb:

A bright blue dye is obtained from the petals.

Propagation of Day Flower:

Seed - sow March 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.

Cultivation of the herb:

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

Known hazards of Commelina communis:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.