Clitoria laurifolia
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Clitoria cajanifolia
- Phonetic Spelling
- klih-TOH-ree-uh lo-re-FOH-lee-uh
- Description
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Butterfly pea is a tropical perennial shrub with deep woody roots in the pea family. Widely grown as a green manure and cover crop in rubber and coffee plantations, and to control erosion. It is sometimes cultivated for cattle fodder. This plant has escaped cultivation and can be found in the wild in its native habitat.
It needs tropical temperatures, humidity and rainfall around 70 inches per year. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria that enable them to fix nitrogen in the soil.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Clitoria
- Species:
- laurifolia
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- In Indonesia, the leaves are used to cure pimples.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South America
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
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Cultural Conditions:
- 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
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Description:
- Legume brown or light brown, oval and sticky
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 2 petaled pea-shape flowers are 1-2 inches long and appear solitary or in clusters of 2-6 in leaf axils. They are mostly white with purple markings inside of the lower petal.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Description:
- 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.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Green stem with hairs. Can become woody with age.
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Landscape:
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heat
- Humidity
- Problems:
- Weedy
