Commelina benghalensis
Native to: Asia and Africa
Family: Commelinaceae
Habit: Ground cover that covers and other vegetation.
Leaves: Alternate , leaflets 2 – 9 cm long
Flowers: Blue with 3 petals but one of them being much smaller than the other two.
Dispersal method: Seeds and also easily spread by pieces.
Control measures: Manual removal but great care must be taken to not break any segments off. Chemical application also works.
There is also a native Commelina that we have learnt about before. It looks much like the weedy Commelina and is often mistaken for it due to it spreading nature. It does come and go in the garden so should be considered a problem.
To tell the two apart, look at the
Leaves. The weed has wider leaves and hairs at the base.
Flowers. The native has three petals of the same size. The weed has one petal smaller than the other two.
Michelle Newall