description
Butterfly pea flower is a perennial, deciduous evergreen vine notable for its vibrant blue flowers. Although all aerial parts of the plant are edible and consumed in Asian cuisine, the dried flowers are most commonly made into an herbal tea known as anchan or blue tea and is enjoyed hot or cold. In Thailand, the flowers are combined with lemon juice and sugar to make a purple lemonade-type beverage called nam dok anchan. They are also used to add color to rice dishes and to cakes, particularly a traditional dessert called Khanom dok anchan.
Butterfly pea flower is also a popular addition to cocktails and mocktails, the color of which is modified by altering the acidity of the beverage with lemon or lime juice (for purple) or other botanicals, such as hibiscus (for dark red).
common names
& nomenclature
Asian pigeonwings, blue ternate flower, Aprajita, bluebell vine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea, Darwin pea, mussel shell creeper, Bunga Telang
Also known as:
Asian pigeonwings, bluebellvine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea and Darwin pea
Butterfly pea flower is a popular ornamental plant that is also suited to woodland clearings and thickets. The plant prefers full sun (but will tolerate light shade) and sandy soil with good drainage. It is drought resistant but performs best with an inch of water weekly during very hot weather. First year plants require regular watering but guard against overwatering to avoid root rot. Pinch back new growth to reduce the tendency for the plant to become “leggy.” Plants are susceptible to anthracnose fungal disease (leaf spot), bacterial soft rot, white flies and spider mites.
