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willie_gw

Butterfly Pea Vine

Willie
18 years ago

From pictures I have seen, the Butterfly Pea Vine seems to produce beautiful flowers. However, I seldom see comments in the Vine Forum or seed trades offered for this seed. Does anyone have any comments, pro or con, on this vine?

Thanks

Comments (25)

  • gloria_j
    18 years ago

    willie try looking in just the seed exchange.. haven't you noticed that you don't have as many traders reponding to this smaller forums?

  • alisonoz_gw
    18 years ago

    Clitoria ternatea is a favourite of mine and I grow three in sub-tropical Australia - single blue, double blue (really lovely cobalt colour) and single white. they are perennial even in my climate and go dormant in winter and re-shoot in spring. Or should be fast enough in your climate to treat as an annual. They are a little sparse though that can be overcome with some pinching out. The double does not flower as profusely but is worth it. There don;t seem to be any particular problems with them other than red spider mite if its a bit too dry.

  • LaurelLily
    18 years ago

    I'd been wanting this plant and had to settle for some seeds, which were a real trick to track down. It's supposed to be easy and pretty. Like you, I just loved the pictures and was immediately interested in this vine. Supposedly the seeds have a high germination rate, so I'm hoping it all works out for me.

  • gloria_j
    18 years ago

    willie, your seeds will go out tomorrow for double indigo blue pea vine..enjoy

    gloria_j

  • Willie
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks for all the information on this vine. Sounds like a good un! Re: plants on sale in Memphis, I went thru Memphis on June 25th & hit a heckuva rain storm on I-40, east side of town. Fightin' the rain and the traffic I couldn't even think about garden shoppin'. However, sure saw lots of pretty Queen Ann Lace growing along the highway 'tween Memphis and Little Rock.

  • ARUM
    18 years ago

    Don't mean to be a spoiled sport, but I don't care for this vine, except, - I like the little beans. The flowers, (though very attractive), are sparse. It would be pretty if it make more flowers. However the leaves are nice to look at. :) Arum

  • redpoppy215
    18 years ago

    Heh heh -- Willie, I've been caught in some monster rain storms out in that same area myself. It's spooky when you can't see even a car's length ahead of you, and can barely make out any of the lights on surrounding cars, and while some people have slowed to 20 mph, there's always someone still blasting along at 70....yep, exciting.

    At the end of June, it's generally too hot for any of the locals to think about garden shoppin', either, whether it's raining or not! :)

    Arum, you're right, the flowers can be a little sparse, especially before the vine gets much size on it. Once it gets thick and fills in, though, it usually flowers pretty well for me. I like planting it with other vines to supplement the flowers a bit. Cardinal climber works well with it. Right now I have it planted with moonflower in a couple places, so the result is mostly big, heart-shaped moonflower foliage with these gorgeous blue flowers peeking through here and there.

  • ARUM
    18 years ago

    Now that's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that? Twice the flowers, and extra variety! :) Arum

  • Willie
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    RedPoppy, one thing more on the heavy rain-----the convoys of 18 wheelers driving like there will be no tomorrow. Most are safe, but some DON'T slow down for anything 'cept a flashing red light!

  • pat_tx9
    18 years ago

    I have the vine every year and like it because it attracts the skipper butterflies. They lay their eggs on the leaves and you can see little pieces of the leaves rolled up which means there is probably a little caterpillar inside of it.. I live in Houston and this past winter it didn't freeze back but I do save the seeds in case it doesn't. Mine doesn't take up much room and the flowers are so nice.

  • LaurelLily
    18 years ago

    For those of you that get so many flowers from it, where are you planting it (how much sun) and what conditions do you give it to make it flower so much?

  • ARUM
    18 years ago

    Mine is flowering well, in full sun, but I think it's just the habit of this particular vine to have sparse flowers. :) Arum

  • tsdelvis
    17 years ago

    I have my first vine this year and I love it. White flowers. Do I have to do anything special with that little seed pod in order to save the seed? Thanks a heap!

  • karyn1
    17 years ago

    I planted a bunch (single blue) and had good germination. The plants were very slow to grow at first but they took off when it got consistantly hot here. The problem is that I still don't have any flowers. They are in a few different areas, some get sun only until early afternoon, others a full day. What can I do to promote blooms?
    Karyn

  • ARUM
    17 years ago

    These vines nee lots of sun, and mostly kept moist. :) Arum

  • karyn1
    17 years ago

    Can these vines go into a heated GH over the winter? Will they continue growing or at least live and resume growth next spring or should they be treated as annuals in my zone?
    Karyn

  • ARUM
    17 years ago

    Karyn, no need to do that, and no, I don't think they will make it. They are annuals, restart the little beans in the spring. :) Arum

  • deserthaven
    16 years ago

    A little late to this forum, but if anyone is reading can you tell me if the seeds of this butterfly pea vine are black with a little white edge on one side? I was told I had a snail vine but my pods are purple as are the small flowers (light purple and white) and the vines are purple. Flowered profusely with hundreds of pods however. I'm in Tucson so it was plenty hot here. It was watered well though. My flowers are similar to some of the pictures here but a little hard to tell for sure. Any help is appreciated! By the way, I have lots of seed.

  • ARUM
    16 years ago

    You seem to have Hyacinth Bean Vine. Butterfly Pea is just little black beans, sometime on the square side. :) Arum

  • wendyregas_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    I live in north Florida and I'm just planting pea vine with yellow flowers to cover walls and arches in a couryard. I was told it would be perennial and evergreen, but I see many postings about re-planting. What can I expect? Is the yellow flower variety the same as the blue?

  • cmgonza_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    I am looking for the seeds to plant in my garden and cant seem to find them . Does anyone have a name of a reliable seed company that i can buy from?

    I was given tea to drink made from the flowers. It was Great!!!!

  • bogturtle
    12 years ago

    Thompson & Morgan Seed Co offered a double flowered form and the color was the typical blue. I did not get seed, or failed to save it. That was years ago. Would buy it again, if I see it offered.

  • texaskelley
    12 years ago

    I just saw this thread and am SO glad I did!

    I'm getting an alamo vine (white flowers) from another member and would LOVE to plant a single blue butterfly pea vine with it in spring. But I can't find it anywhere around me. Does anyone have seeds of this, or know where I can get them? It seems the double version is more popular, but I like the look of the single blue better.

    Thanks!

    AOK