Butterfly Pea flower

Clitoria ternatea L.

Butterfly Pea is traditionally used in Southeast Asian cuisine and valued for its naturally vibrant hue, often added to foods and beverages for visual appeal.

HERBAL BENEFITS

Common Name Butterfly Pea, Blue Pea, Asian pigeonwings, Aparajita

Family Name Fabaceae

Parts Used Flowers

Herbal Actions Colorant

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Striking in color, steeped in tradition—Butterfly pea flower transforms your cup with vibrant hues.

Butterfly pea flower has long been treasured in both traditional medicine and culinary traditions throughout Asia. Across the region, it’s not just admired for its striking hue—but for the beauty, meaning, and creativity it brings to food and drink. In Thailand, the flower is used to naturally tint khanom chan—delicate, layered rice flour cakes often served on special occasions. The vibrant color is said to symbolize prosperity and good fortune. In Vietnam, butterfly pea tea is steeped and transformed with a simple squeeze of lime, shifting from deep blue to a brilliant purple-pink—a refreshing elixir offered to guests as a gesture of hospitality and respect.

The magic behind these color transformations lies in the flower’s natural pigments, called anthocyanins—compounds that are pH-sensitive and change color when exposed to acids like citrus juice. This dynamic visual appeal has made butterfly pea a beloved natural colorant in everything from herbal teas and rice dishes to desserts and mocktails.

While the flower is primarily valued for its aesthetic appeal and culinary use, it is not commonly used in traditional medicine. In contrast, Butterfly Pea root has a long history of use in Ayurveda, where it is recognized for supporting digestive and intestinal health, cognitive function, and overall wellness.*

Butterfly pea is a member of the Fabaceae family —the same plant family as peas and beans. It grows as a twining vine with captivating blue flowers. The vine grows easily in moist soil, and can blanket fences, trellises, and even trees in its native range of equatorial South and Southeast Asia.

The vibrant green compound leaves are comprised of a series of oval leaflets, arranged in pairs along the petiole, each leaflet coming to a delicate point. While the foliage is beautiful, it is the flowers that truly steal the show. They are a deep, mesmerizing blue, resembling the butterflies that give the plant its common name. In the center of the flowers, one can find intricate patterns of white and yellow. These solitary blooms, emerging from the leaf axils, are a unique enticement for pollinators.

The warmth and humidity of tropical climates provide the ideal conditions for butterfly pea, and it can now be encountered flourishing in favorable regions far outside of its native range in Asia. It thrives in full sun, where its radiant flowers bloom in abundance and its roots delve deeply into rich soil seeking nourishment.

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This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

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