Butterfly Pea Flower

Clitoria ternatea

Butterfly pea flower is so-named because it is a member of the pea family with notched tips on the flowers that give blooms the appearance of a butterfly in flight. However, ironically, the plant is generally ignored by butterflies, despite its bright blue color. While plants in the wild produce flowers that range from deep blue to lavender, some cultivars have white or pink flowers, a few with semi-double blooms.

Like other vines, butterfly pea flower sends out trailing stems, but it’s not a prolific climber. The leaves, which yield a green dye, appear on stalks divided into lance-shaped leaflets. Mature plants reach up to 15 feet with a spread of up to 6 feet.