Butterfly pea, Clitoria ternatea, clitoria flower, blue tea, whole

Name: Butterfly Pea Flower / Blue Pea Flower (Deutsch: Butterfly Pea Flower / Klitorienblüte)
Latin name: Clitoria ternatea L.
Product form: Flowers, whole, dried
Ingredients: 100 % dried butterfly pea flowers (Clitoria ternatea), organic farming

Butterfly pea flower, also known as blue pea flower or Asian pigeonwings, is one of the most striking flowering plants of Southeast Asia. Its intensely blue, butterfly-shaped flowers have been used for centuries as a natural dye and in traditional herbal medicine. Clitoria ternatea is a tropical climbing plant from the legume family (Fabaceae) with a long tradition of use in Ayurveda and traditional Southeast Asian healing practices.

Uses and Effects

As a natural dye: Dried butterfly pea flowers are best known for their extraordinary, deep blue colour. When they come into contact with acidic liquids such as lemon juice, the colour shifts from blue to vivid violet or pink. This natural colour-changing effect makes whole butterfly pea flowers a fascinating ingredient for natural dye applications and colour experiments. 

Traditional use in Ayurveda: In Ayurvedic medicine, Clitoria ternatea is known under the names Shankhpushpi and Aparajita. It is traditionally used there as a Medhya Rasayana, one of the classical herbs for supporting the mind and nervous system. In traditional Southeast Asian folk medicine the plant has also been used for centuries in various contexts. 

Legal notice: For legal reasons we would like to point out that butterfly pea flower is not approved as a food in the EU. We are therefore unfortunately unable to offer this herb for preparation as a tea. Please note the following statement: "Herbathek has been working with critical and informed consumers since 2004 - people who like to research for themselves beforehand. We continue to honour this tradition and always endeavour to provide our customers with research resources, book references, traditional healing knowledge, home remedies and innovative recipes for nutrition, cosmetics and healthy living. We trust that our long-standing customers are enthusiastic herbalists who apply the rich treasure of traditional herbal knowledge responsibly in relation to their own health and critically evaluate the diverse information on herbs, including that from folk medicine. We are happy to offer guidance and to assist in reviewing your own research."

About the Plant

Clitoria ternatea is a perennial, herbaceous climbing plant from the legume family (Fabaceae) and can reach several metres in length. The pinnate leaves consist of five to nine oval leaflets and climb supports using twining tendrils. The striking, butterfly-shaped flowers are an intense blue-violet with a whitish-yellow centre and grow individually in the leaf axils. After flowering, flat, elongated seed pods containing several seeds develop. As a legume, the plant fixes nitrogen in the soil and is therefore also used as a green manure crop in tropical regions. The characteristic pigment of the flowers comes from a group of anthocyanins known as ternatin compounds. Clitoria ternatea can be distinguished from other Clitoria species by its individually borne, deep blue-violet flowers. 

Other names: Clitoria ternatea is also known in English as butterfly pea flower, blue pea, Asian pigeonwings, Darwin pea and Aparajita. In Ayurveda it is referred to as Shankhpushpi or Aparajita, and in Thailand as Dok Anchan.

Habitat and harvest time: Clitoria ternatea originates from tropical Asia and is today found across large parts of South and Southeast Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. The plant grows preferably in tropical and subtropical climates with high humidity and sun exposure. The flowers are harvested during the main flowering period and subsequently dried gently to preserve their characteristic colour.

Historical roots: Clitoria ternatea is one of the oldest documented medicinal plants of the Indian subcontinent. In Ayurveda it has been described for centuries as a Medhya Rasayana, a category of plants traditionally used to support the mind, memory and nervous system. In the traditional medicine of Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, the plant was used as a natural dye for foods and drinks as well as for ritual purposes. In Thailand, the blue infusion from butterfly pea flowers known as Nam Dok Anchan represents a centuries-old tradition.

Key active constituents:

• Ternatins (anthocyanin compounds): Characteristic colour pigments of the butterfly pea flower, responsible for the intense blue colouration and the pH-dependent colour change.
• Flavonoids (incl. kaempferol, quercetin): Secondary plant compounds with antioxidant properties, found in the flowers and leaves.
• Cyclopeptides (cliotides): A group of cyclic peptides characteristic of Clitoria ternatea that is currently the subject of intensive scientific research.
• Triterpene saponins: Secondary plant compounds found in various parts of the plant that play a role in traditional applications.
• Anthraquinones: Further secondary plant compounds identified in the plant.

Herbathek Stands for the Highest Quality

All products available at Herbathek are exclusively selected and of the highest quality. Our butterfly pea flowers are also 100 % naturally pure: free from preservatives, flavourings and other artificial additives.

Origin: Our dried butterfly pea flowers come from the traditional growing regions of South and Southeast Asia. The raw material is carefully selected and tested for purity and quality. 

Careful cultivation & gentle processing: Throughout the entire growth and harvesting process, careful handling of the plant is ensured. This preserves its natural, plant-specific properties as fully as possible. The specifically cultivated form of the plant differs significantly from wild-growing variants and shows a considerably higher density of plant constituents.