“Blue Butterfly Pea” Clitoria ternatea
Clitoria ternatea “Blue Butterfly Pea”
Supposedly a perennial vine but in NZ it is annual. Said to be a rapid grower and flowerer but this only applies to tropical conditions. The plant is native to tropical Africa but has been widely spread around the world and the flowers have been adapted for culinary and medicinal purposes. Spectacular bright blue flowers which are used dried for tea and to colour drinks and other liquids.
Germination
Plants are slow to grow during cool weather and are best in large pots kept in sheltered sunny locations.
For successful flower harvesting, seeds need to be germinated in winter or early spring. Keep indoors or in a greenhouse until November when pots can be set outside over summer and autumn. Seeds need heat to germinate. Our seeds are from freshly harvested NZ grown plants and not imported from overseas and of uncertain age.
10 seeds/packet
Approximate seed count
10 seeds