butterfly pea

noun

1. any of several leguminous plants of the genus Clitoria, as C. mariana, of North America, having pale-blue flowers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of butterfly pea¹

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60

Example Sentences

The ice cream, with butterfly pea coconut milk and Thai milk tea favours, was modelled after the blue ceramic plates and flower details of the pagoda, said ice cream maker Pop Icon.

From Reuters

To Lee, a simple pavlova’s snowy peaks of whipped sugar and egg white offer a blank canvas for dramatic splashes of red and blue, the latter of which Lee achieves with butterfly pea extract.

From Washington Post

The scene was punctuated by colorful, pre-dinner cocktails, such as a vodka-spiked lemonade that morphed from clear to purple thanks to the organic butterfly pea flower floating in each glass.

From Los Angeles Times

He uses natural food coloring to make the bread: saffron to color the dough yellow, and an infusion made from the leaves of the blue butterfly pea flower, or clitoria ternatea, to get the blue.

From Seattle Times

They also sell butterfly pea flowers, a trendy cocktail ingredient to add color to your drink.

From New York Times