Butterfly pea is a tropical sub-shrub in the pea family (Fabaceae) native to South America. It is found in tropical to sub-tropical areas with annual rainfall of around 70 inches and high humidity. It can become weedy outside of its native range. The butterfly pea grows up to 3 feet tall and needs full sun in well-drained sandy, clay or loamy soils. The flowers appear in summer and are pea-like in white, pink or purple with purple markings on the lower petal. It is widely grown as a green manure and cover crop in rubber and coffee plantations dur to its ability to fix nitrogen. The deep woody roots make it useful for erosion control. It is sometimes cultivated for cattle fodder. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheCannaLantana camara Bandito™ GroupLantana camara 'Miss Huff'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial
Life cycle
Perennial
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Growth rate
Rapid
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Erect
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are trifoliolate and 2-4 inches long. Leaflets are oval and 1-2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Undersides have a few hairs.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender; White
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Lipped
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The flowers appear in spring and are 2-lipped and pea-shaped. They come in white, pink or purple with purple markings on the lower petal. They are 1-2 inches long and grow singly or in small clusters in the leaf axils.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit detail
Legume brown or light brown, oval and hairy
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Green stem with hairs. Can become woody with age.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
South America
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Legume
Uses (ethnobotany)
In Indonesia, the leaves are used to cure pimples.