Description
Meet a delightful tropical climbing vine that thrives in warm climates but can be grown as an annual in cooler areas! This beautiful plant, often called “Asian pigeonwings” or “Darwin pea,” can reach up to 200 cm tall. It’s particularly loved in Australia for its stunning blue and white flowers, which not only look gorgeous but also have some interesting medicinal uses. You can enjoy the flowers in several ways: fresh, dried, or powdered. One popular way to use them is to steep the fresh flowers in hot water to make a lovely blue tea. It’s not just a drink; these flowers can be a fun addition to your kitchen! They can naturally color your rice, desserts, or even cocktails with their vibrant blue. A really cool fact is that the color of the tea changes with the pH level—just add a bit of lemon juice, and watch the blue turn into a lovely pink! The leaves are also great as stock food, and this plant can help improve soil health as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop. So, whether you’re an avid gardener or just curious about plants, this vine is truly a gem!
Getting started with growing butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) can be a fun endeavor, but it’s important to know that its seeds have a tough outer shell that can make germination a bit tricky. In fact, you might see germination rates around 20%. But don’t worry; there are some simple steps you can take to improve your chances! First, try pre-treating your seeds. You can do this by scarifying them—just gently nick or sand the seed coat so that water can get in. After that, soak the seeds in warm water for about 12 to 24 hours. This little boost can really help! Once you’re ready to plant, keep in mind that, under the right conditions, you can expect germination to happen within 7 to 21 days. The best soil temperature for this is between 20 to 30°C ). At slightly cooler temperatures, it might take a bit longer—up to 15 to 20 days or even three weeks if the seeds weren’t pre-treated. Remember to keep the soil consistently moist and use a well-draining, sterile seed-starting mix to help your seeds thrive and prevent any rot. Happy gardening!












Crystal Scherer –
Followed the advice to scratch and soak these seeds and I now have 5 little seedlings about to be planted out. Thumbs up!