Butterfly Pea Vine – 5 Seeds

Butterfly Pea Vine Seeds. Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea), commonly known as Asian pigeonwings, bluebellvine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea and Darwin pea, is a plant species belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is native to tropical Asia and Africa.

It is a fast-growing vine that blooms continuously from summer through autumn. It bears solitary, vivid deep blue flowers with light yellow markings, followed by flat seed pods. The flowers are edible. Grown as an annual in cooler climates and as a perennial in warm climates. This beautiful vine is not only of great ornamental value, but also has culinary and medicinal uses.

Butterfly Pea Culinary Uses

• In Southeast Asia, the flower is used as a natural food coloring to color glutinous rice.
• In Burmese and Thai cuisines, the flowers are also dipped in batter and fried.
• Butterfly pea flower tea is made from the ternatea flowers and dried lemongrass and changes color depending on what is added to the liquid, with lemon juice turning it purple. In Thailand and Vietnam, this butterfly blue pea flower tea is commonly mixed with honey and lemon to increase acidity and turn the beverage a pink-purple color.
• Butterfly Pea tea can be frozen in ice cubes and included in cocktails or punch bowls where it will causes the drink to change color as the ice cube dissolves leading to what has been labelled as a ‘mood ring cocktail’.

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Butterfly Pea Vine Medicinal Benefits

• In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, it is ascribed various qualities including memory enhancing, nootropic, antistress, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, tranquilizing, and sedative properties.
• In traditional Chinese medicine, the plant has been ascribed properties affecting female libido due to its similar appearance to the female reproductive organ.

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Growing Butterfly Pea Vine

Indoor Sowing: Winter.

Direct Sowing: Spring.

• Butterfly pea vines are easy to grow from seed, either by planting directly in the garden in spring, or by starting them indoors about 12 weeks ahead of time.
• Lightly nick or scrape the seeds, and then let them soak overnight in room temperature water before planting.
• Germination can take 30 days or longer.
• Butterfly pea flowers grow in nearly any type of soil, including nutrient-poor, but sandy, acidic soil is preferable.
• Good drainage is critical, as butterfly pea plants won’t tolerate soggy growing conditions.
• Plant butterfly pea flowers where the vines have plenty of room to sprawl, or let the delicate stems climb over a trellis or fence.
• Can be grown in full sunlight, shade, or semi-shade.