Butterfly Pea vine is a perennial plant which continues to flower across all four seasons of the year.

Butterfly Pea Vine, botanically known as Clitoria ternatea, is a plant species which belongs to the Fabaceae family of flowering plants. Butterfly Pea Vine is also known as Darwin pea, Asian pigeonwings, cordofan pea and bluebellvine. Interestingly, it is referred to as Clitoria ternatea because its flower resembles a woman’s genital organ.

Butterfly pea is a creeper vine which bears coloured flowers and can be pruned and trained to take form of a bush. The butterfly pea vine grows rapidly up to 6 to 8 feet in height and can spread 3 to 4 feet. A perennial plant, it continues to thrive and flower across all four seasons of the year. It grows best in open spaces and ground but in case of limited space, you can grow it in a container of 12 inch in height or even more.

How to Sow and grow

The best time to sow butterfly pea vine seeds is from July to August in Karachi and in other regions, it could be months falling in the spring season. Its seeds are hard shelled and require more time and efforts to sprout before sowing by following one of the three processes in order to make seeds ready for quick germination.

The first process is called scarification or chitting in which the seed is scarred or filed against a nail filer or sandpaper. It helps in weakening the exterior of the seed shell, as the seeping water into makes it easy for the developing seedling to break through the shell.

The second process is that of stratification. In this process, the seed shell is exposed to the different changing temperature conditions to weaken the shell, while such techniques as refrigeration of the seeds or cold water soaking are some of the many processes which require moisture and are classified under the stratification.

This stratification process works as a kind of reminder for seeds to wake them up from the dormancy period and urges them to start growing the embryo. Eventually, stratification mimics natural conditions for the seed to sprout. Finally, the third and easiest process is to soak the seeds in the tap water. Seeds after soaking are placed in the soil for early germination.

It is better to sow two to three seeds in a cup. After sowing, it takes at least 15 to 20 days to germinate. After germination, the strongest of the two or three seeds are retained, while the other weaker seedlings are thinned out and removed.

Sunlight and watering requirements

Butterfly pea vine thrives in direct sunlight exposure and should always be placed at such a position exposed to sunlight for about 5 to 6 hours of sunlight every day. The soil should remain moist throughout the day as the vine needs generous supply of water. In extremely hot weather, it is advised to increase watering but in any case, the base of the stem must be watered directly.

Fertilizers for plant nourishment

Since the plant needs nitrogen at an early stage, to increase foliage, the nitrogen-based fertilizers should be applied every week. During the winter season and within close proximity of the flowering phase, it is advisable to replace nitrogen with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. For that banana peel liquid and bone meal can be added to the watering schedule after every 10 to 15 days.

Pest attack

The butterfly pea vine is mostly safe from pest attacks. However, any possibility of such attacks can be easily avoided by fortnightly spray of any organic pesticide.

Fruiting and harvest

The butterfly pea flowers are used as a food colour, especially in south eastern dishes. The flower is also harvested and used for making different cold drinks and tea. While you may prepare the blue herbal tea of butterfly pea vine by adding lemongrass, you can also opt for different pink, purple or blue-coloured cold drinks with the addition of different quantities of the flower petals along with lime.

If you want to make tea out of the freshly harvested flowers of the butterfly pea vine, simply harvest, wash and directly make the tea. The other method is to store if there are excess flowers on your vine. In that case, simply wash the flowers and carefully remove the flower base, so that all the petals are separated from each other. Now you may dry these petals and after drying, these petals can be stored in any plastic container to be used later. Always make sure to dry these petals properly otherwise there are high chances of fungal attack.

You may also leave the flowers behind on the plant and let it dry there. In that case, the flower will turn into a pod containing 6 to 10 seeds, which can be later harvested to grow more plants. – Ends

The writer is a physician and focuses on issues related to health and kitchen gardening. He tweets @Ali_Shahid82 and can be reached at dr.khwaja.ali@gmail.com