Whitemouth dayflower, Widow's tears, Day flower, White-mouth dayflower
Commelinaceae (Spiderwort Family)
The soft, jointed stems of this perennial
grow upright only if supported by other plants. Usually they lie on the ground and grow up to 3 ft. long. The ephemeral flowers, about 1 in. across, have two larger, showy, blue petals and one much smaller white petal. Flowers with 2 large, ear-like, blue petals and one smaller petal
bloom in small clusters, in a bract,
at the top of several erect branches. They only bloom for a day, but there are several buds on a plant that open 3-4 days apart. The principal leaves are linear to somewhat lance-shaped.
This is a highly variable species. The Spanish name means herb
of the (cooked) chicken.
Image Gallery: 38 photo(s) available
Bloom InformationBloom Color: Blue
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct
, DC Native Distribution: FL
n. to NJ, OH, IL
& s. SD Native Habitat:
Open pinelands; dry scrub & woods
Growing ConditionsLight Requirement:
Part Shade Soil Moisture:
Dry Soil Description:
Dry, sandy soils. Conditions Comments: Commelina erecta
can be grown from seed or transplanted tubers. Its flower
is a beautiful medium blue, most frequently seen in spring or fall but occasionally occuring in July and August. It is well suited to naturalized mass plantings in meadows or by wooded areas; beware that the plant can become invasive. This is a variable species, particularly in regards to the size and shape of the leaves. This variation has led to segregation as species or varieties by some authorities.
BenefitConspicuous Flowers: yes
Deer Resistant: No