Nightmare on my Street: A Gardener's Halloween Story

You see this? Looks innocent enough doesn't it? Well don't be fooled by those sweet-looking little blue flowers. This stuff is what nightmares are made of & it could be lurking somewhere near your yard! It can happen to you one day with no warning. You're working in the garden...unknowingly you look under a prized plant & EEHH, EEHH, EEHH...THERE IT IS! Then you look to the right, there's more! To the left, there's more!!! It's the invasion of scurvy weed!! Nooooo!!!! Ok. So you say I'm being a bit too dramatic, but you don't know what I've been through with this invasive weed! It started out as 1 little plant that popped up a few years ago. I decided to let it stay because of the pretty little flower - worst mistake of my life! From there it has moved to all areas of my garden, despite me pulling & pulling seemingly everyday. 

I mistakenly thought it was a type of morning glory because it is a morning bloomer, but after a little research I learned its true identity. The botanical name is, COMMELINA DIFFUSA, & it is commonly called climbing dayflower or scurvy weed. Despite my hate-hate relationship with this plant, my research gave me a little more respect for this monster that is trying to overtake my yard. I learned that it is considered an herb with both the leaves & flowers being edible. You can use both in salads or boil the leaves. It provides moderate amounts of vitamin C & has some anti-oxidant properties. Climbing dayflower can also be used for medicinal reasons. In China it is used for fevers and as a diuretic. Another study indicates that an extract of the plant has antifungal and anti-inflammatory activity. Captain Cook supposedly gave it to his crew to help prevent scurvy & settlers also ate this weed for the same reason - hence the name scurvy weed. Additionally, a dye is also obtained from the flowers for use in painting.

Well all that being said, I am still on a mission to eradicate this nuisance from my yard. I spent a portion of yesterday tarping over my vegetable garden plot to try to smother out the scurvy weed that took over at the end of summer. Since I have other plans for a fall veggie garden, I'm taking the opportunity to use drastic measures. I covered the whole plot with dark plastic & staked it down to prevent light from & air from reaching the leaves. Oh yes, I mean business! No photosynthesis for you! Die you garden thug! Die! I also suggest if you see climbing dayflower...weed anywhere near your property, kill it..kill it dead!

Happy gardening!