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Butterfly pea

Clitoria ternatea

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Butterfly pea · Clitoria ternatea

Deep violet-blue flowers familiar as natural colouring for sticky rice and tea.

Care and placement

Needs full sun (6–8 hours), an early trellis, deep watering once or twice a week, well-drained soil at pH 5.5–6.5 and warmth of 19–28 °C; flowers colour sticky rice and tea.

Draft mature dimensions

Maximum height (cm): 300 cm · Maximum spread (cm): 150 cm

Things to consider

NC State notes the flowers are edible and yield a blue food dye for drinks; seeds and other parts should not be eaten. Use only flowers from unsprayed plants, washed well, and not as a replacement for medicine.

Unknown evidence does not mean safe. Decorative plants are not automatically edible.

Information is compiled from multiple reputable sources for reference. If you spot an error, please contact us so we can check and update it.

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How to grow and care for it

  1. Planting and pot

    Sow seed 2–3 cm deep in warm soil above 20 °C, in well-drained soil at pH 5.5–6.5; put up a trellis early because it climbs fast and tangles on the ground. A large pot with drainage holes also works.

  2. Light

    Full sun: at least 6–8 hours of direct sun to flower; no frost tolerance.

  3. Watering

    Water deeply once or twice a week rather than daily sips; established vines tolerate short dry spells; mulch keeps roots cool and moist. Avoid waterlogging.

  4. Feeding

    Not a heavy feeder because it fixes its own nitrogen: a balanced feed every 4–6 weeks in the growing season (other sources say every 2–3 weeks or just once or twice a year) helps flowering.

  5. Pruning

    Pinch vine tips for a bushier plant with more flowering sites; deadhead spent flowers to keep it blooming.

  6. Propagation

    Seed: break dormancy by soaking in warm water 12–24 hours (discard floaters) or nicking with sandpaper; sow 2–3 cm deep, germinating in 7–14 days above 20 °C. Cuttings 15–20 cm root in 4–6 weeks and flower sooner than seed-grown plants.

  7. Pests and common problems

    Spider mites, aphids and whiteflies; caterpillars (hand-pick); root rot, anthracnose and bacterial soft rot. Check leaf undersides monthly and treat with organic products.

  8. For a bigger harvest

    For plenty of flowers to harvest: full sun, a sturdy trellis, pinching, deep watering, picking each morning (after dew dries, before midday heat) and deadheading; leave a few pods to dry on the vine if you want seed.