Plant Profile: Clitoria laurifolia

The butterfly pea is a tropical perennial shrub belonging to the pea family, characterized by its robust woody roots. It is commonly cultivated as a green manure and cover crop in rubber and coffee plantations, serving also to mitigate erosion. Additionally, it is occasionally grown as fodder for livestock. This plant has naturalized beyond cultivated areas and can be found thriving in its native environment.

To flourish, the butterfly pea requires a tropical climate with high humidity and approximately 70 inches of rainfall annually. Notably, this species forms a symbiotic relationship with specific soil bacteria, which allows it to effectively fix nitrogen in the soil.