Butterfly Pea Seeds, Clitoria ternatea

GROW: Fast growing, climbing plant producing attractive blue/pink flowers in mid to late Summer.  May be grown on a trellis in the garden as an attractive way to encourage butterflies into the garden, as they are one of their favourite food sources.  Fast to grow.  Requires full sun but will tolerate part shade.  Very hardy being quite drought tolerant.  Able to be grown on clay soils & also shows some tolerance to salty soils.  Pinch branches regularly to encourage side growth & thicken foliage. To improve germination rates and speed the sprouting process, simply nick the seed coat and soak seeds in warm water 24 hours before planting. Seeds should germinate in 3-6 days after planting.

HARVEST: Flowers can be consumed fresh, dried, or powdered. Leaves are a popular stock food. Can be used as a nitrogen fixing cover-crop. Also known as “Asian pigeonwings” or “Darwin Pea”. Pods can be harvested as vegetable.

USE: Butterfly pea flower is a common ingredient in many herbal teas, mixed drinks, and cosmetic products. It is rich in antioxidants and may be linked to several health benefits, including increased weight loss, better blood sugar control, and improvements in hair and skin health. Colour changes colour with pH, add lemon juice and it turns blue to pink add baking powder and it turns teal