Scurvy weed (Commelina cyanea)

Scurvy weed is also known as Forget-Me-Not and Native Wandering Jew. It is not in the same family as Wandering Jew.

After you finish reading this, you will be able to:

• Identify Scurvy Weed or Forget-Me-Not.
• Know the habitat of Scurvy Weed or Forget-Me-Not.
• Know the best cultural and chemical options to control Forget-Me-Not.

Scurvy weed is a long-lived, invasive,  branching, creeping weed of gardens. It is a common weed of open, moist habitats with disturbed soils. The weed is able to cope with saturated soil conditions and temporary flooding.

It is a tuberous herb roots from each leaf node on a stem, and can spread rapidly over a lawn, smothering the grass.

 

Native Wandering Jew or Forget-Me-Not spreads vegetatively via its creeping stems, and by seeds. Seeds and stem pieces spread by water and also in contaminated soil.

Category:

Flower: Flowers, are in small clusters , and are three bright blue (rarely white) petals. Flowers open only in the morning.

Height: Prostrate.

Leaf length: The leaves of Forget-Me-Not are 4-6 cm long, elongate with pointed tips.

Leaf width: Forget-Me-Not leaves are 2-24 mm wide. Hairs exist on the margins of the leaves.

Reproduction: Scurvy Weed spreads via its creeping stems, and by its seeds. Seeds and stem pieces spread by water and also in soil.

Comments: The leaves are alternate along the stems

Habitat: This plant is usually found in high humidity areas under the shade of trees.

Native Wandering Jew is a good soil indicator of high nutrient soils. For more information check out our weed ID Chart.

 

 

 

You can control Forget-Me-Not by cultural and chemical means.

 

 

 

 

Physical & Mechanical.

Native Wandering Jew is a difficult weed to control by hand as small pieces of the plant will regrow. You need to remove all vegetative material and dispose off off site.

Enouranging a thick, dense grass cover will result in the lawn or turf outcometing this weed.

 

 

 

 

In Australia, several herbicides control Native Wandering Jew. Examples include bentazone, and pendimethalin (pre-emergent). 2,4-D or glyphosate do not work well to control Scurvy Weed. In Fiji, you can use metsulfuron-methyl.