Blue Butterfly Pea Tea

Classification and Origin

Clitoria ternatea L., family Fabaceae.

flower (less commonly, buds are also used in blends).

蓝蝴蝶 (lán húdié), 蝶豆花 (dié dòu huā).

Origin: tropical and subtropical Asia; the culture of consumption is most developed in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, and Sri Lanka.

Type: herbal infusion, tea substitute (代用茶, dàiyòng chá), not tea in the botanical sense.

Facts

Clitoria was given due to the outward resemblance of the flower to a part of female anatomy — this is reflected in the historical botanical nomenclature.

ternatea — from the island of Ternate in Indonesia, from where the first described specimens originated.

the infusion changes colour depending on acidity, which is used in bars for "shifting" drinks and even in school chemistry demonstrations.

in Thai cuisine, the flower is traditionally used to colour rice and desserts a blue tone.

this is a rare case of a product valued almost exclusively for its visual effect rather than for taste or aroma.

History and Culture

in Thailand, anchan infusion (น้ำดอกอัญชัน) is a traditional refreshing beverage, and the flower itself has been used for centuries as a natural blue colouring for rice, desserts, and drinks.

the product is relatively new, arriving with the trend for "Instagram-worthy" colour-changing drinks and visually striking 花草茶 (huācǎo chá, herbal infusions).

Botany and Raw Material

perennial climbing vine reaching 3 m or more in length.

papilionaceous type, as with many legumes; most commonly vivid blue with a whitish-yellow "eye" in the centre; white and double-flowered forms also occur.

flat pod containing seeds.

fully opened flowers, dried whole, preserving the "butterfly" shape.

Terroir

Climate: hot and humid, tropics and subtropics; the plant cannot withstand frost.

Soil: prefers light, well-drained soils; as a legume, it enriches the soil with nitrogen through symbiosis with nodule bacteria.

Thailand, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia.

grown in the south — on Hainan (海南), in Yunnan (云南), Guangxi (广西), and Guangdong (广东), although a significant share of raw material on the market is imported.

Production

flowers are picked by hand at the stage of full bloom, usually in the morning.

sun-dried or in dryers at moderate temperature; the key objective is to remove moisture quickly while maximally preserving the blue pigment and the integrity of the petals.

selection of whole, brightly coloured flowers; faded, brownish, and broken ones are discarded.

Organoleptic Profile

dark blue, almost inky violet, with the "moth" form preserved.

transparent, deep cornflower blue; at high concentration — almost blue ink.

faint, herbaceous-leguminous, unobtrusive.

Taste: very neutral, soft, with a light green-bean note and almost no bitterness or astringency.

Chemical Composition

ternatins — polyacylated pigments named after the specific epithet ternatea; responsible for the blue colour and for the hue shift when pH changes.

glycosides of kaempferol, quercetin, and related compounds.

peptides and other secondary metabolites characteristic of legumes.

Health Notes

in Southeast Asia and in Chinese daily practice, anchan is customarily regarded as a "refreshing" beverage; it is attributed with general tonic and "rejuvenating" effects, as well as a connection to skin and hair care.

research interest is focused on the antioxidant activity of anthocyanins and flavonoids; this refers to laboratory and preliminary data, not to proven clinical effects.

Brewing

approximately 1–2 g of dried flowers (around 5–10 pieces) per 200–250 ml of water.

soft, temperature 85–95 °C.

colour extracts quickly; 3–5 minutes is sufficient.

2–3 successive infusions, with each one yielding a weaker colouration.

Teaware: transparent glass — in order to see the colour; for this product, this is part of the presentation.

Storage

Shelf Life: approximately 12–24 months with proper storage; faded, brownish raw material is technically safe but loses its main virtue — colouration.

dry, dark, cool place; airtight, opaque packaging.

light, moisture, oxygen — they destroy anthocyanins, and the colour fades.

Price and Authenticity

around 100 ¥/kg; this is an inexpensive flower raw material, not a rarity.

whole dried flowers of a deep blue-violet colour, yielding a clear blue infusion and turning pink upon addition of acid.