Thursday, August 5, 2010

Seeds, all the way from India

Kalyani Nandukar send me 2 packets of seeds, all the way from India. The seeds are clitoria ternatea (also known as Gokorna meaning cow's ears in her language) and bright yellow lily (she does not know the real name). Those are thank you seeds as a reply to roselle seeds I sent earlier. I googled for some early information on the seeds.

clitoria ternatea
Clitoria ternatea, is a scientific name in the family of Fabaceae  for a plant known as kacang telang (Malaysia) or butterfly pea (Australia) , Kordofan pea (the Sudan), campanilla (Panama), zapatillo de la reina (El Salvador), papito, bejuco de conchitas (Puerto Rico), pokindang (the Philippines).   It is also known as bunga nasi kerabu because it can be used as colouring in a local delicacy nasi kerabu. Clitoria ternatea is summer-growing perennial climber with a woody base, can climb tall grasses and crops. Leaves with 5-7 leaflets elliptic to narrowly lanceolate 3-5 cm long, shortly pubescent underneath. Flowers solitary, attractive, deep blue, occasionally pure white, very shortly pedicellate, 4 to 5 cm long. Pod flat, linear, beaked, about 10 cm long, slightly pubescent. About 20 % hard seeds. (Andrews, 1952). Autogamous, 2 n = 16. Growing season 60-80 days. Refer here: Clitoria ternatea  
clitoria ternatea
from google
 And for the bright yellow lily, I really have to wait for the seeds to germinate and see for myself how they look like.  So, clitoria ternatea and bright yellow lily will be the new addition to the garden soon (provided they germinate).
Seeds do travel far...
 bangchik

11 comments:

  1. Beautiful blue like in a peacock feather

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  2. It's wonderful that such sharing has taken place across the vast ocean because of the mutual interest in gardening! Pass it on!

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  3. Wow. That flower has an amazing blue color. Enjoy the seeds!

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  4. Wow, what a beautiful blue, It is going to be just a lovely addition to your garden.

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  5. The blue flower of butterfly pea is really beautiful! I can't wait to see the yellow lily! Do update us!

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  6. Yes Bangchik, seeds do travel! Your sunflower seeds given to me is growing well too.I love that blue flower, Bunga Talang as we call it, the colour reminds me of morning glory

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  7. Hope the seeds germinate. Blue colouring for nasi kerabu, wow did not know that.

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  8. Hi Bangchik, I was admiring these blue flowers yesterday thinking blue morning glory is very pretty. So it is not a morning glory after all. Interesting to exchange seed.

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  9. I know this as the butterfly pea vine (as well as its botanical name). It grows well here, but it likes to have wet feet with its head in full sun. It looks stunning intertwined with an orange black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata). Both are perennial here, but they can be grown as annuals.

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  10. Thanks everyone.
    I am thinking where to put the butterfly peas. Terra Mirabilis suggesting somewhere wet...... of course i can create a wet environment somewhere, with compost heap and heavy watering.

    Growing new plant is like opening a window on a fresh day.

    ~bangchik

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