Butterfly Pea — Clitoria ternatea

A beautiful climbing plant with extraordinary deep-blue flowers that look almost too vivid to be real.

Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) is a warm-season climber grown for its striking flowers, which can be harvested and dried to make a naturally blue herbal infusion.

Add a little lemon juice and watch the colour change from blue to purple or pink. A wonderful plant for anyone who enjoys growing ingredients for their own kitchen and herbal teas.

Why I Grow It

I love plants that are both beautiful and useful, and butterfly pea is a perfect example.

The flowers are absolutely gorgeous, but the main reason I grow it is to harvest and dry them for herbal teas.

There's something rather lovely about collecting flowers from the garden, drying them and storing them away to enjoy long after the growing season has finished.

And the extraordinary blue colour is a bonus!

In the Kitchen

Butterfly pea flowers can be used fresh or dried to make a beautiful blue herbal infusion.

To make a simple tea, steep a few dried flowers in hot water for several minutes until the water develops a rich blue colour.

Enjoy it as it is, or add a squeeze of lemon juice to turn the infusion purple.

The flowers have a mild, earthy flavour, so they also work beautifully blended with other herbs.

Butterfly pea flowers can also be used to colour drinks, ice cubes and other culinary creations naturally.

Harvesting and drying: Pick freshly opened, clean flowers and dry them thoroughly in a warm, airy place away from direct sunlight, or use a dehydrator on a low setting. Store the completely dried flowers in an airtight container away from light and moisture.

In the Garden

Butterfly pea is a fast-growing climbing plant with delicate green foliage and vivid blue flowers.

It enjoys warmth and sunshine and can be grown over a trellis, arch or other climbing support.

In frost-free tropical climates it can grow as a perennial, but in cooler parts of New Zealand it's generally best treated as a warm-season annual or protected from winter cold.

Its flowers are attractive to visiting pollinators and can be harvested regularly throughout the flowering season.

Mature height: Approximately 1.5–3 m with support
Spread: Depends on the support provided
Flowering: Summer into autumn in suitable conditions
Growth habit: Tender climbing perennial, often grown as an annual in cooler climates

Care

• Position: Full sun, preferably in a warm, sheltered location.

• Soil: Well-draining soil with moderate fertility.

• Planting: Plant outside once frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed.

• Spacing: Approximately 30–45 cm between plants.

• Watering: Water regularly while establishing, allowing the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings.

• Feeding: A little compost is generally sufficient; avoid excessive nitrogen fertiliser.

• Support: Provide a trellis, arch or climbing frame.

• Maintenance: Guide young shoots onto their support as they grow.

• Harvesting: Pick flowers regularly during the growing season.

• Winter: Protect from frost or grow as a seasonal plant in colder areas.

What You'll Receive

One pot containing a young, seed-grown butterfly pea plant ready to grow on.

With warmth, sunshine and a climbing support, it can develop into a beautiful flowering vine, providing flowers to enjoy in the garden and harvest for herbal teas.