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FOODIES' HOME PAGE
PLANT PROFILE LIST
NAME: Asiatic Dayflower
SPECIES / FAMILY: Commelina Communis / Commelinaceae
OTHER COMMON NAME(S):
CONDITIONS:
shade, medium moist soil
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PARTS: |
EDIBLE |
TASTE |
RAW/COOK |
SEASON |
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All |
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Shoots |
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mild |
RAW/COOK |
summer |
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Leaves |
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mild |
RAW/COOK |
summer |
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Stalk/Stem |
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Buds |
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Flowers |
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mild |
RAW/COOK |
summer |
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Fruits |
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Pods |
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Seeds |
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Nuts |
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Roots |
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Bark |
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PORTION: small
COMMENT: Great summer wild edible! Full of Vitamin C and A. Shoots, leaves, and flowers can be eaten raw or cooked. Makes a great addition to a salad, plus a light green drink - put in blender with water, sieve out the fiber, and enjoy. // Chopped finely and added to salads or cooked as a potherb…mucilaginous texture. (1) Easy to propagate by taking cuttings and placing in water to root.
CAUTION: Various, as with any food, eat in moderation and read the info in the links below.
NUTRITION/MEDICINAL: Antibacterial; Astringent; Depurative; Diuretic; Febrifuge. The leaves are depurative, diuretic and febrifuge. Used as a throat gargle to relieve sore throats and tonsillitis. A decoction of the dried plant is used to treat bleeding, diarrhoea, fever etc. Extracts of the plant show antibacterial activity.(1)
RELATED:
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https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Commelina+virginica (has edible root)
POISONOUS LOOK-A-LIKES:
OTHER USES: Dye. A bright blue dye is obtained from the petals.(1) The normally blue stamen hairs indicated mutation by turning pink when exposed to radiation. The same effect has since been observed when the spiderwort plant is subjected to chemical pollution.
SOURCE LINKS (may include nutritional and medicinal info, plus other uses):
- https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Commelina+communis
- http://www.eattheweeds.com/commelina-diffusa-what-a-day-for-a-day-flower-2
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commelina_communis
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commelina (many species)
- http://www.foragingtexas.com/2012/08/dayflower.html (good photos)
- https://eattheplanet.org/day-flower-a-dainty-and-overlooked-wild-edible
- https://lostintheozarks.com/asiatic-dayflower
- https://topbackyards.com/how-to-grow-asiatic-dayflowers
- http://dinafisher.net/foraging/asiatic-dayflower
- https://www.wildedibleplantofthemonth.com/common-dayflower