If you happened to visit Vietnam, you may well have come across he Butterfly Pea Flower used in restaurants, the flowers are dried, powdered and mixed with water. The mixture is reduced and used as a sort of crepe.
This is a fast growing climbing plant and it is a member of the pea family as the name suggests. In the garden, it is the wonderful blue flowers that are the attraction.
Care
In most areas it is grown as an annual, plant the seeds in spring and they will flower in summer. Like most of the pea family it is a plant that fixes nitrogen to the soil.
This is a tough little plant, reasonably drought tolerant, grows well in full sun, and is fast growing. So fast that it can be used as a folder crop.
- Plant seeds in spring in a warm sunny position.
- Use a well drained humus rich moist soil.
- Water well after planting with a liquid seaweed fertiliser.
- Provide the plant with a climbing frame of some sort.
- At the end of the season the whole plant can be dug back into the soil or composted.
Uses
All parts of the plant are used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Use The Butterfly Pea Flower for the flowers, as a green manure crop, or perhaps to make tea from the flowers.
In the garden it will also attract bees, which are the pollinators that every garden needs, birds and insects to the garden.
You can eat the pods when they are young, use them is stir fries and the like. You can also use the flowers as a food colouring.
Check out the recipe for Blue Dumplings
Ornamental plant, green manure, medicinal or stock feed, Clitoria ternatea or The Butterfly Pea Flower has it all. Plant he seeds in spring and stand back.
You will find the seeds for sale online from a few suppliers