Asiatic dayflower is a herbaceous, summer annual in the spiderwort family (Commelinaceae) that can be erect at 3 feet high or spread for up to 10 feet across the ground like a vine. It is native to East Asia. The species epithet is Latin for "growing in colonies." This plant does best in partial shade, in moist to mesic conditions, with fertile soil that is loamy or slightly sandy. Asiatic dayflower tolerates full sun and light shade. It is a weedy, sprawling plant that often roots at the joints of stems. The 1-inch flowers are blue/purple and appear singly on a 2-inch stalk from mid-summer to early fall. Each flower blooms during the morning for a single day, hence the common name. The root system is fibrous, and the plant can root and form new plants vegetatively. At favorable sites, the Asiatic dayflower forms colonies that can exclude other species of plants, and it is considered invasive by several states (but not NC). Asiatic Dayflower can spread aggressively and become a pest. It is resistant to herbicides; nonetheless, some gardeners encourage its growth as a ground cover in moist, woody areas. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests. The plant is a preferred food source of the White-Tailed Deer.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Erect; Spreading
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Sheath
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Cordate; Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped, hairless, and up to 5" long and 2" across. Leaves can be ovate, lanceolate-ovate, or slightly cordate. Veins run parallel to each other. The base of each leaf is sessile or clasping, and it has a 1 inch membranous sheath that wraps around the stem.
Flower color
Blue; Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Long Bloom Season
Flower form
Cyme; Solitary
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Common Dayflower may have 3 petals that are blue (or blue and white) with yellow stamen. This flower is about ½ to 1 inch across. The sepals are usually pale white and translucent. The sterile upper stamens have showy yellow anthers that help to attract insects to the flower. The lower stamens are longer than the upper stamens and fertile. An upturned spathe that lies underneath the flower is green and about 1 to 2 inches long. The upper margins of this spathe are free all the way to the base.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Each flower is replaced by a seed capsule that has 2 cells, each cell containing 2 seeds. These seeds are dark brown or black and have a surface that is bumpy and rough (rugose).
Stem detail
The round stems are smooth and hairless.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Eastern Europe to Japan and Indo-China
Distribution
Spread to eastern Canada and the United States eastern seaboard west to Texas and the Dakotas, Oregon, and Washington state.
Wildlife value
The foliage is eaten by Neolema sexpunctata (Six-Spotted Beetle) and is a preferred food source of the White-Tailed Deer.