This is a widespread southeastern species of damp floodplain woods, but generally absent from smaller streams in Appalachian regions. It is the most robust Commelina in eastern North America, with distinctive deep spreading fleshy rhizomes that are unknown in congeners; 2n = 60 (FNA 22). Rhizomes can grow at least 1-2 m in one year. Curiously, the species is rare to absent in the Bluegrass region, including the Kentucky Rv. corridor, but it becomes remarkably aggressive and persistent in urban gardens of FAYE. It is possible that plants are particularly edible for mammalian herbivores, and thus prevented from spread into more eutrophic pastoral landscapes or with prehistoric megafauna; see also notes under Laportea and Urtica. Elsewhere in the world, some species of Commelina have been much used as forage for livestock (Odadi et al. 2007) or for human food (Edeoga & Ugbo 1997). However, oxalate content may be a problem for human uses without cooking. Also, virginica is probably high in silica content, and there is no record of human use.