Sankhupushpam (Clitoria ternatea) -Flowers of Kerala

March 23rd, 2007 | admin

Sankhupushpam (Clitoria ternatea) is a fast growing plant of pea family. The Malayalam word Sankhupushpam means a conch shaped flower. The plant grows very quickly and usually blooms in 6 to 10 weeks of sprouting as a seedling. The flower is blue-deep purple.

The Hindi word is Sankhapushpi and English words are blue pea and butterfly pea. This plant is found almost everywhere in the world and the place of origin is hard to trace.

The roots of this plant are used in Ayurveda medicines. The root extracts have demonstrated antidepressant properties.

Clitoria ternatea is in the plant family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae). Clitoria ternatea is also placed in papilionaceae.