FEEL BLUE - PART 1

I feel blue...
This is the real blue...
My blue flowers... kembang telang.
Kembang telang is a multipurpose plant.

Look the color of the flower... so... blue...
Kembang telang have common names butterfly pea, blue pea, asian pigeon wings, papito, conchitis or cordofan pea.
The scientific name is Clitoria ternatea.
This species is belonging to the Fabaceae family. 
The genus name is Clitoria, refer to the flower that almost similar to the shape of (sorry) women secret part.
The species name is ternatea.
I think its refer to Ternate, the first place where this plant was found.
Ternate is a name of island in  Province of  Maluku Utara (North Mollucas), Indonesia.
This plant is native to tropical equatorial Asia.
Now, this plant spreads to Africa, Australia and America.

 

Kembang telang is a vigorous, trailing, scrambling or climbing legume.
It grows as a vine or creeper.
Actually, this is a tropical legume that doing well in moist and neutral soil.

the base of vine

Twisting hibiscus stem

twisting nusaindah trunk

former of winding

Kembang telang have  very strong and wiry stem.
The stems are sub-erect and woody at the base and may be up to 6 m long. 
They root only at the tips.

the leaves

Kembang telang is a perennial herbaceous plant, with elliptic and obtuse leaves. 
The leaves are pinnate, bearing 5-7 elliptical, an 3-5 cm long leaflets.

Its vivid deep blue flowers, with light yellow markings  are absolutely striking. 
The flowers are solitary or paired.
They are about 4 cm long by 3 cm wide. 
There are some varieties that yield white flowers.

young fruits

older fruits

The fruits are 5 – 7 cm long, flat pods with 6 to 10 seeds in each pod. 
The fruits are flat and linear.
They are edible when tender.
In many place the young and tender pods usually cooked as vegetables.

 

It is grown as an ornamental plant and as a revegetation species.

Kembang telang on my front yard

 Next we will learn more about the benefit of this plant for the environment.