Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis) Blossom Closeup: in album flowers

In Albums:
flowers

plants

This is a closeup photo of an asiatic dayflower, Commelina communis, growing in a bed of these flowers in Clark Park, in West Philadelphia.

The asiatic dayflower is a non-native species in the U.S., and it is considered an invasive or weed in many areas. This flower normally has a deeper, richer blue color, and this particular flower is unusually pale. The plant is edible and can be used in food, and also has some medicinal properties. It also shows promise for cleaning up contaminated soils, due to its propensity to bioaccumulate certain metals.