The Complete Guide to Growing Butterfly Pea Seeds
What are the Benefits of Growing Blue Butterfly Pea Seeds?
Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) is a flowering plant that is native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands and is also known as Asian pigeonwings, bluebellvine, blue pea, cordofan pea and Darwin pea. They are also known for their vibrant blue and purple coloured flowers and delicate beauty and are used as a dye to create a deep purple hue in fabrics and food colouring, The flowers are edible and have many uses, including making a healthy blue tea.
Growing organic butterfly pea flower seeds can be a rewarding experience. This video below will guide you on how to grow butterfly pea from seeds so that you can enjoy these beautiful flowers all year long!
How to Grow Butterfly Pea from Seeds
Seeds of the butterfly pea plant can be found in pods, similar in appearance to a bean. Butterfly pea seeds grow quickly and can be transplanted into flower pots or garden beds after six weeks. But before you start planting your own plants, it is important to know about the vines growing requirements.
The butterfly pea plant requires well-draining soil. It is important to know that the butterfly pea plant can withstand partial shade, but will not tolerate full shade. The butterfly pea plant also needs composted soil and a continuous supply of moisture in order to thrive.
In Gardens & Landscapes
The butterfly pea vine is a beautiful addition to any garden or landscape and grows well on a fence or over an arbour. If they receive plenty of sunlight, warmth, and moisture, they will thrive.
How & When to Plant Butterfly Pea Seeds
Plant your butterfly pea seeds in the springtime. Wait until the soil has warmed up and then plant them about an inch deep. Make sure that you water the seeds after planting them, but do not over water them.
How To Harvest and Dry Pods and Flowers for Tea
The butterfly pea is a herbaceous perennial plant that can grow up to 3-5 feet tall.
The butterfly pea flower has been traditionally used as a natural remedy for anxiety, insomnia, and stress relief. The most popular way of using the flower is by making tea.
Blue butterfly peas can be found growing wild on roadsides or in gardens in Thailand with an abundance of sunlight. When harvesting the flowers they should be plucked while still fresh so they do not wilt or turn brown before drying them out completely. The best time to harvest them is just before they bloom or when they have just bloomed.
Dry the flowers out on a clean surface in a warm, dry place for approximately 1 week. Ensure that they are completely dry before using them to make tea as damp flowers will burn when steeped in boiling water! Store your dry butterfly pea in a container with an airtight lid.
When making tea, add a squeeze of lemon or lime and watch the blue tea turn pink before your eyes.
Where to Buy Butterfly Pea Seeds
We have a selection of organic butterfly pea flower seeds for sale in our online store. Click HERE.
The Complete Guide to Growing Butterfly Pea Seeds
Enquiry Regarding Double Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea var. pleniflora)
Dear NParks Team,
I hope you are doing well.
My name is Siva Sai Krishna, and I am from Andhra Pradesh, India.
I recently came across your excellent NParks Flora & Fauna website, especially the pages describing Clitoria ternatea and Clitoria ternatea var. pleniflora (Double Butterfly Pea). I found the cultivation information extremely informative and helpful. Thank you for making these resources publicly available.
I am currently planning to establish a commercial Butterfly Pea flower plantation in India for producing high-quality dried flowers for blue tea, natural food colouring, herbal products, and cosmetics.
I have been searching specifically for the Blue Double-Petal (Double Butterfly Pea / Clitoria ternatea var. pleniflora) variety.
I would be very grateful if you could kindly advise me on the following:
Does NParks know of any botanical garden, nursery, research institute, or seed supplier in Singapore or Southeast Asia that maintains or distributes this Double Butterfly Pea variety?
If the plants displayed in your records were obtained from another organisation, would you be able to share the original source or recommend whom I should contact?
Could you kindly recommend any organisation in Singapore or neighbouring countries that may legally supply seeds or planting material for research or commercial cultivation?
Any guidance or referral would be sincerely appreciated, as it would greatly assist my long-term plantation project.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.
Kind regards,
Siva Sai Krishna
Andhra Pradesh, India