Clitoria mariana
L.
(c) Ezra, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ezra
(c) Ezra, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ezra
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman
What to Eat
Edible parts: Poisonous
No edible uses are known for this plant.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
It is a temperate plant. In southern China it grows in forests between 100-2,000 m above sea level. It grows in hardiness zones 6-9.
Asia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, North America, SE Asia, Thailand, USA, Vietnam,
How to Identify
A herb. It grows 45-60 cm tall. The leaves have 3 leaflets along the stalk. They are narrowly oval and 3-11 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. The flowers usually occur singly in the axils of leaves. They are light blue or purple. The pods are narrow and 3-10 cm long by 1 cm wide. There is a beak at the end. There can be 2 to many seeds.
How to Grow
A temperate perennial forb. Stems are erect to reclining or trailing, to 1.2m, glabrous to sparsely pubescent with short, fine, curved hairs. It is a twining vine and not a climbing vine so is often found growing along the ground. In southern China it grows in forests between 100-2,000m above sea level. It grows in hardiness zones 6-9. Light Requirement: Sun, Part Shade. Preferred soil: Dry and Sandy. Bloom Color: Pink , Blue. Bloom Time: Jun to Aug. Herbaceous. Growth habit is a single or multiple shooting vine from a crown.
Propagation: Seed.
Medicinal Uses
The roots and seeds have been used medicinally, including as an aphrodisiac based on the ancient doctrine of signatures, though this has not been confirmed.
Other Uses
Functions as a nitrogen fixer, making it a useful addition to food forest systems.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Clitoria mariana, known by the common names butterfly pea and Atlantic pigeon wings, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the pea family, Fabaceae. The plant is native to the United States.
Names & Synonyms
Biec tim, Taw-peik-san, Taw-pesein
References (1)
- Jackes, D. A., Edible Forest Gardens
