Centrosema virginianum 'Pea Brain'
Butterfly Pea
This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.
Shop Available CentrosemaItem #: 11411
Zones: 5b to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 72" tall
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Centrosema virginianum is virtually unknown in gardens despite being native from Illinois south to Florida and west to Texas. Our offering, Centrosema 'Pea Brain', is a NC seed strain. The deciduous pea relative is a 6' tall, twining vine clothed with dark green trifoliate leaves and adorned all summer long with an endless array of clitoria-like lavender-blue flowers. We grow centrosema on a deer fence where it thrives in full sun, masking the fence throughout the growing season. In the wild, centrosema is often found on well-drained sandy soils, but the addition of compost really makes it explode. Centrosema is late to break dormancy, not sprouting before mid-May in NC. Butterflies love centrosema, including long-tailed skippers and northern cloudywings. Centrosema is endangered in New Jersey, but so are many people who reside there.
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Other Attributes
Genus: Centrosema
Flower Color: Blue
Leaf Color: Green
Bloom Time: Summer
Container Role: Spillers
Garden Themes: Cottage Garden Plants , Living Wall
Other: Butterfly Attracting Plants , Florida Native Plants , Georgia native plants , Pollinator Plants , North American Native Plants , North Carolina Native Plants , Rain Garden Plants , Texas Native Plants , United States Native Plants