Clitoria ternatea - Web page Navigation - Asian Pigeonwings, Butterfly Pea Page

Clitoria ternatea, also known as Asian pigeonwings, bluebellvine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea, and Darwin pea, is a beautiful blue variety of the pea plant species belonging to the Fabaceae family. Its flowers are known for their unique shape, resembling that of human female genitals, hence its Latin name "Clitoria". This plant is native to tropical Asia, and is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant for its stunning flowers. It is also used in traditional medicine, with various properties including memory-enhancing and antistress. In Southeast Asia, the flower is used as a natural food coloring and used to color food like glutinous rice for kuih ketan/pulut tai tai or pulut tekan in Peranakan/Nyonya cooking, and is also used to make a syrupy blue drink called nam dok anchan in Thailand. Overall, Clitoria ternatea is a versatile and aesthetically pleasing plant species with a rich cultural and medicinal history.