Garden Collection
Butterfly Pea
Butterfly pea flowers
Whole dried butterfly pea flowers from Nepal. Brews a vivid blue that turns purple with lemon. Mild, earthy and caffeine-free; also a natural colour for drinks and rice. 30g pouch.
Pack
Region
Hill country of Nepal
Harvest Season
Summer
Flavour Intensity
MildProduct Notes
Caffeine-free, Earthy and woody, Turns violet with lemon
Brewing
- Serving
- 1-2 tsp
- Temp
- 90°C
- Minutes
- 3 minutes
The tea
About Butterfly Pea
Whole butterfly pea flowers, naturally blue
Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) is a climbing pea plant whose flowers brew an ink-blue cup with no colouring added. Squeeze in some lemon and the blue turns violet, then pink. Ours are whole dried flowers from Nepal.
The taste is mild and a little earthy, like a very light green tea without the bitterness, and there is no caffeine. Use one to two teaspoons per cup at about 90°C for three minutes. Drink it hot or over ice, and add the citrus at the table so you can watch it change.
Because it adds colour and very little flavour, butterfly pea is also a natural food colour. Brew it strong for blue lemonade, cocktails, ice cubes or rice, and keep the concentrate in the fridge in a dark container so it does not fade.
Good to know
Questions about Butterfly Pea
Brewing, caffeine, taste and pack size. For more, read the brewing guide or ask Petal, our tea guide, in the corner of the page.
Why does butterfly pea tea turn purple?
The blue pigments in the flower change structure with acidity. Lemon or lime juice makes the cup violet, and more juice takes it to pink. A pinch of bicarbonate of soda pushes it the other way, towards green.
Does butterfly pea tea have caffeine?
No. It is a flower from a pea plant, not a tea leaf, so it has no caffeine at all.
What does it taste like?
Mild and faintly earthy, a little like a very light green tea without any bitterness. It is not strongly flavoured, which is why it works so well as a colour base for drinks.
How do I brew it?
One to two teaspoons per cup at about 90°C for three minutes. For a colour base, brew it much stronger and cool it before use. It comes in a 30g pouch; the flowers are light, so that is a lot of cups.
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