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Medicinal, culinary and unusual botanicals from Australia and around the world

Clitoria ternatea – Blue Butterfly Pea (seed)

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$6.60

Description

Clitoria ternatea is a fast growing climber with beautiful blue and sometimes white flowers. A drought hardy plant which can be used as a fast growing screen along fences. Attracts butterflies. Considered to be pantropic in distribution with an uncertain country of origin. Fabaceae (Pea) family.

The leaves and seeds of Clitoria ternatea are good stock food and the pods are sometimes eaten by humans (Phillipines). The root is an effective purgative. According to Ayurveda, Clitoria ternatea is cooling, acrid, purgative, diuretic, laxative, alexiteric, anthelmintic and tonic to the brain. It is useful in treatment of eye-diseases, ulcers of the cornea, tuberculous glands, elephantiasis, headache, ascites, leucoderma, burning sensation, pains, biliousness and ulcers (Pankaj Oudhia, 2003).

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, it has been used for centuries as a memory enhancer, nootropic, antistress, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, tranquilizing and sedative agent. In Southeast Asia the flowers are used to colour food. In Malay cooking, an aqueous extract is used to colour glutinous rice for kuih ketan (also known as pulut tai tai in Peranakan/Nyonya cooking) and in nonya chang. In Thailand, a syrupy blue drink is made called nam dok anchan, it is sometimes consumed with a drop of lime juice to increase acidity and turn the juice into pink-purple. In Burmese and Thai cuisine the flowers are also dipped in batter and fried (from wikipedia.)

Care and Cultivation of Clitoria ternatea

Clitoria ternatea seeds can be sown in spring/summer/autumn or inside all year round, 3 times their diameter under the surface of a quality seed raising mix., or plant directly into the garden. Germination may be increased by soaking the seeds overnight in water. Plant out on a fence or trellis when large enough. Frost sensitive. Very drought hardy.

10 seeds per packet

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