Klätterväxter - Fröer

SEEDS (15pcs/bag)

Trivial Names: Sky-Earth, Sail-Earth, K litoria, Butterfly Pea
Scientific name: Clitoria ternatea
Family: Fabaceae 

Plant history & use:

Blue Himmelsärt with stuffed flowers.

Large climbing plant whose flowers have an intense blue color that is easily released when hot water is added.

Used to color food, sweets and drinks.

In Asia, tea made directly from the flowers is drunk. Sometimes it is mixed with lemongrass, honey and lime.

Himmelsärt is also used in traditional medicine as a relaxant and memory enhancer.

The normally blue colored drink changes to purple if you add something acidic, such as lemon. This is due to pH changes in the composition. Similarly, the flowers of the sky pea are sometimes used to make blue gin, which turns purple when tonic is added.

As a comparison, you can think that tea made in Himmelsart is used in Asia in the same way that we in Sweden use chamomile tea.

Like the Goa bean , the Himmelsärten is regenerative for the soil by fixing nitrogen from air pores in the soil and works well as a ground cover crop. On the other hand, Himmelsärten is generally not hardy in Sweden, unlike Goa bean.

Culture:

The sky pea is a sun-loving, fast-growing plant that quickly establishes itself if it has something to climb on.

Cultivation in a pot is recommended if you want to let it become perennial in Sweden. Overwinter frost-free.

Able to grow in both moist and dry soils. Thrives surprisingly well in heavy clay soils. For growing in pots, a loamy soil with good drainage should be used.

Top branches for a bushier growth habit.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors early in the year, alternatively sown outside in April-May.

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with small air holes to maintain good moisture.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: 150-300 cm
Germination time: 10-20 days

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Trivial Names: Sky-Earth, Sail-Earth, K litoria, Butterfly Pea
Scientific name: Clitoria ternatea
Family: Fabaceae 

Plant history & use:

Large climbing plant whose flowers have an intense blue color that is easily released when hot water is added.

Used to color food, sweets and drinks.

In Asia, tea made directly from the flowers is drunk. Sometimes it is mixed with lemongrass, honey and lime.

Himmelsärt is also used in traditional medicine as a relaxant and memory enhancer.

The normally blue colored drink changes to purple if you add something acidic, such as lemon. This is due to pH changes in the composition. Similarly, the flowers of the sky pea are sometimes used to make blue gin, which turns purple when tonic is added.

As a comparison, you can think that tea made in Himmelsart is used in Asia in the same way that we in Sweden use chamomile tea.

Like The goa bean Himmelsärten is regenerative for the soil in that it fixes nitrogen from air pores in the soil and works well as a ground cover crop. On the other hand, Himmelsärten is generally not hardy in Sweden, unlike Goa bean.

Culture:

The sky pea is a sun-loving, fast-growing plant that quickly establishes itself if it has something to climb on.

Cultivation in a pot is recommended if you want to let it become perennial in Sweden. Overwinter frost-free.

Able to grow in both moist and dry soils. Thrives surprisingly well in heavy clay soils. For growing in pots, a loamy soil with good drainage should be used.

Top branches for a bushier growth habit.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors early in the year, alternatively sown outside in April-May.

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with small air holes to maintain good moisture.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: 150-300 cm
Germination time: 10-20 days

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common names : Goa bean, Wing bean, Square bean, Cigarillas, Manila bean, Kecipir
Scientific name : Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
Family : Fabaceae

Plant history & use :

The goa bean is a perennial bean plant with several uses in cooking that is also often favored in cultivation for its strong disease resistance.

Sometimes wrongly confused with Asparagus ( Tetragonolobus purpureus ) which, however, is a different species. The asparagus pea has smaller legumes than the Goa bean, red flowers and smaller, pea-like leaves.

The goa bean has larger leaves of 10-15 cm and light blue flowers and square beans that are usually 15-20 cm.

The goa bean is a nutritious plant and all parts of the plant can be eaten:

• Leaves can be eaten like spinach,
• Flowers can be added to salads,
• Tubers can be eaten raw or cooked like potatoes - have a nutty taste
• Seeds (dry beans) can be used in a similar way to soybeans. You can make both flour and milk from dried, ground goa beans that lack the distinctive "bean flavor"
• The unripe green bean pods can be eaten as a raw vegetable or cooked in a stir-fry. The taste is reminiscent of asparagus.

All of the plant parts of the Goa bean have a high protein content. The mature seeds (dry beans) contain 40%, the tubers 20% - which is higher than many root vegetables - and the leaves and flowers contain 10-15%.

The goa bean is currently a relatively unknown crop but is continuously increasing in commercial use.

The goa bean is an effective ground cover and good at out-competing weeds. If you plant the Goa bean without anything to climb on, it will instead spread at ground level and make it difficult for weeds to climb up.

The goa bean also fixes nitrogen to the soil via rhizobacteria and can help rebuild nutrient-poor soils.

The goa bean can also be given as feed to both ruminants, poultry and fish.

Cultivation :

The goa bean is a perennial plant with a climbing habit (similar to the long bean ). Large grown in its natural environment - can reach lengths of 3-4 meters.

Hardy for cultivation in the warmest parts of Skåne, Blekinge, Öland & Gotland. In winter, please cover the base with straw or similar when growing outdoors.

Would like to have something to climb on, eg house wall, larger tree, pillar, sticks or tied wire.

Thrives in well-drained soils. Benefit from heat and moisture. Optimum temperature for growth and fruiting is around 25 °C. Lower temperatures favor root tuber growth while higher temperatures favor leaf growth.

Self-pollinating.

Fixes nitrogen on its own via rhizobacteria on the roots, fertilization is not a necessity.

The green bean pods are ready for harvest after 3-4 months from sowing.

Sowing :

Soak seeds in lukewarm water 1 day before sowing.

Can be sown directly outdoors / in a greenhouse when the soil temperature has reached above 15 °C. Alternatively, pre-cultivate indoors for planting out in late spring. Sowing depth 2 cm. Keep seed moist.

Properties :

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: 2-4 m
Germination time: 1-2 weeks
Plant zone: 1

SEEDS (15pcs/bag)

Trivial name: Loofah, Mushroom cucumber, Wash sponge cucumber, Bath sponge creeper
Scientific name: Luffa aegyptiaca
Family: Cucurbitaceae

Plant history & use:

Cultivated and used since the fourth century in the Roman Empire. Young fruits were eaten, ripe fruits were used as bath sponges. Loofah mushrooms were until WWII the most used mushroom in the United States.

The young, green fruit is eaten as a vegetable like ordinary cucumber. Quite early in the life of the fruit, it begins to form a distinct fibrous structure on the inside. On a fully ripe fruit, the skin easily peels off the fibrous interior, resulting in a near-perfect sponge that can be used in the same way as our regular household sponges - on the counter, in the bathroom or as a cleaning sponge.

An advantage of using a loofah sponge is that it stays fresh significantly longer than a "regular" synthetic sponge.

If you cut the loofah sponge along the long side so you can turn the sponge inside out, you can use the more textured inside as a stronger scrub and the smoother outside as a softer scrub.

Edible young shoots, leaves and flowers - a common way is to "stir" leaves and shoots in a little soy sauce etc. Asian sauces. Seeds left over after harvesting ripe luffa can be roasted and eaten like pumpkin seeds.

The fibers that run along the long side of the fruit's edges are durable and can be used as cords for tying up other plants, for example.

Culture:

Mushroom cucumber wants to be in a sunny location with good water supply. Grows best in locations with sunlight throughout the day. If you have a greenhouse, it is a perfect place for the mushroom cucumber.

Thrives best in a loamy, well-drained and nutrient-rich soil. Regular nutrient supply is preferred.

Provide plenty of room for climbing for optimal growth.

At first, the fruit is firm in shape and green in color. It is when the fruit is around 10 cm that the fruit is edible. Soon after that a fibrous structure begins to form inside the skin that makes the fruit unsuitable for edible purposes.

When the fruit becomes lighter and the skin begins to feel looser against the inside and the color turns yellow to brownish, the fruit is ready to be harvested. Preferably harvest the fruits before they turn completely brown and the skin becomes dry, it can be difficult to peel the fruits without damaging the inside otherwise.

Pinch the fruits off the vine and let them dry for another day before soaking them for a couple of hours to help remove the skin. Do not soak for longer than 1 day as bacterial growth can occur. Remove seeds by opening the bottom of the fruit and shaking them out. Scale. Rinse the loofah sponge with water to remove loose plant debris. Lay to dry again - out in the sun protected from rain works great.

Should you, after all, let the fruits remain on the plant until they are completely brown and dry, it is easiest to remove the skin with an ordinary kitchen knife after soaking.

If it starts to approach the risk of frost and your fruits still don't look ready, an early harvest is still recommended, as repeated exposure to frost damages foliage and fruits can suffer from rot. Pinch off the fruits and hang them indoors with the skin on to dry. When you see that the shell goes from firm to loose (slightly shriveled appearance) and the color changes to brownish, it is time to open the shell.

The flowers are bright yellow.

Fruits can reach 75 cm in favorable conditions.

Sowing:

The mushroom cucumber needs some time to develop mature (strongly) fibrous fruits. So preferably already in February/March and start up indoors. When the risk of frost is over, the plants can be planted/exhibited.

Soak seeds 1 day in advance. Sow seeds in seed soil, cover with a thin layer of soil. Keep the seed moist. In order to more easily maintain good humidity, the seed can be covered with plastic foil provided with air holes.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun
Height: 2 meter
Germination Time: 5-20 days
USDA Zone: 10-12

SEEDS (20pcs/bag)

Common names : Long bean, Asparagus bean, Meter bean, Snake Bean, Bodi
Scientific name : Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis
Family : Fabaceae

Plant history & use :

Grown for its edible long beans. The beans are crunchy, string-free and have a slightly nutty taste. The name comes from the length of the beans, which is often around 40-75 cm.

Usually used and prepared in a similar way to green beans - that is, the bean pods are harvested in an unripe stage to be cooked or eaten raw. Long beans are very good to eat raw, unlike many other broad beans.

You can also leave the bean pods on the plant until they have reached full maturity and cook the dry beans inside the pod in the same way as, for example, kidney beans.

Long beans should be eaten raw alongside other dishes, cooked in woks, pots or made into a salad. A popular example is in papaya salad (Som Tam) where the raw beans are cut into 2-3 cm long pieces and mixed with the grated papaya and other ingredients.

Cultivation :

Thrives in heat & direct sun, prefers high humidity but it is not a requirement. Relatively drought tolerant once the plant is established. Can be grown both outdoors and in greenhouses.

Use an airy and well-drained soil. Can you give it a soil with a slightly acidic pH value (5.5-7.5) it is an advantage.

As a pea plant, the long bean fixes its own nitrogen in the soil and does not necessarily need to be given any additional fertilization.

The long bean is a so-called sturgeon and has a climbing habit. Feel free to give it some space and something to climb on for vigorous growth and fruiting. When the adult stage is reached and the temperature is around 27-32 °C, the long bean grows vigorously and produces abundantly.

Feel free to prune tops of side shoots for an abundant harvest.

Harvested 2-3 months after germination.

Flowers vary from pink to lavender.

Sowing :

Can be sown directly outdoors / in a greenhouse when the soil temperature has reached above 15 °C. Alternatively, pre-cultivate indoors for planting out in late spring. Keep seed moist.

Properties :

Duration: One year
Plant position: sun
Height: 125-200 cm
Germination time: 1-2 weeks

SEEDS (5pcs/bag)

Common Names : Purple Goa Bean, Purple Wing Bean, Square Bean, Cigarillas, Manila Bean, Kecipir
Scientific name : Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
Family : Fabaceae

Plant history & use :

The Purple Goa bean is just like that the green one The goa bean is a perennial bean plant with several uses in cooking that is also often favored in cultivation for its strong disease resistance.

Sometimes wrongly confused with Asparagus ( Tetragonolobus purpureus ) which, however, is a different species. The asparagus pea has smaller legumes than the Goa bean, red flowers and smaller, pea-like leaves.

The Purple Goa bean has larger leaves of 10-15 cm and slightly purple flowers and square beans that are usually 15-20 cm.

Purple Goa bean is a nutritious plant and all parts of the plant can be eaten:

• Leaves can be eaten like spinach,
• Flowers can be added to salads,
• Tubers can be eaten raw or cooked like potatoes - have a nutty taste
• Seeds (dry beans) can be used in a similar way to soybeans. You can make both flour and milk from dried, ground goa beans that lack the distinctive "bean flavor"
• The unripe bean pods can be eaten as a raw vegetable or cooked in a stir fry. The taste is reminiscent of asparagus.

All of the plant parts of the Goa bean have a high protein content. The mature seeds (dry beans) contain 40%, the tubers 20% - which is higher than many root vegetables - and the leaves and flowers contain 10-15%.

The Purple Goa bean is currently a relatively unknown crop, but along with the green colored Goa bean is continuously increasing in commercial use.

Purple Goa bean is an effective ground cover and good at out-competing weeds. If you plant the bean without anything to climb on, it will instead spread at ground level and make it difficult for weeds to climb up.

The Purple Goa bean also fixes nitrogen to the soil via rhizobacteria and can help rebuild nutrient-poor soils.

Lila Goa bean can also be given as feed to both ruminants, poultry and fish.

Cultivation :

The Lila Goa bean is a perennial plant with a climbing habit (like The long bean ). Large grown in its natural environment - can reach lengths of 3-4 meters.

Hardy for cultivation in the warmest parts of Skåne, Blekinge, Öland & Gotland. In winter, please cover the base with straw or similar when growing outdoors.

Would like to have something to climb on, eg house wall, larger tree, pillar, sticks or tied wire.

Thrives in well-drained soils. Benefit from heat and moisture. Optimum temperature for growth and fruiting is around 25 °C. Lower temperatures favor root tuber growth while higher temperatures favor leaf growth.

Self-pollinating.

Fixes nitrogen on its own via rhizobacteria on the roots, fertilization is not a necessity.

The purple bean pods are ready for harvest after 3-4 months from sowing.

Sowing :

Soak seeds in lukewarm water 1 day before sowing.

Can be sown directly outdoors / in a greenhouse when the soil temperature has reached above 15 °C. Alternatively, pre-cultivate indoors for planting out in late spring. Sowing depth 2 cm. Keep seed moist.

Properties :

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: 2-4 m
Germination time: 1-2 weeks
Plant zone: 1

SEEDS (15pcs/bag)

Common Names : Purple Long Bean 'Pomegranate', Purple Asparagus Bean, Little Meter Bean, Purple Snake Bean, Bodi
Scientific name : Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis
Family : Fabaceae

Plant history & use :

A purple variant of the long bean. Like most other purple colored vegetables & fruits, the color comes from substances called anthocyanins and act as antioxidants. The name comes from the length of the beans, which is for the Purple Long Bean 55-60 cm.

Usually used and prepared in a similar way to green beans - that is, the bean pods are harvested in an unripe stage to be cooked or eaten raw. Long beans are very good to eat raw, unlike many other broad beans.

You can also leave the bean pods on the plant until they have reached full maturity and cook the dry beans inside the pod in the same way as, for example, kidney beans.

Long beans should be eaten raw alongside other dishes, cooked in woks, pots or made into a salad. A popular example is in papaya salad (Som Tam) where the raw beans are cut into 2-3 cm long pieces and mixed with the grated papaya and other ingredients.

Lila Långböna contains e.g vitamins A, B, C and, as I said, anthocyanins.

Cultivation :

Thrives in heat & direct sun, prefers high humidity but it is not a requirement. Relatively drought tolerant once the plant is established. Can be grown both outdoors and in greenhouses.

Use an airy and well-drained soil. Can you give it a soil with a slightly acidic pH value (5.5-7.5) it is an advantage.

As a pea plant, the long bean fixes its own nitrogen in the soil and does not necessarily need to be given any additional fertilization.

The long bean is a so-called sturgeon and has a climbing habit. Feel free to give it some space and something to climb on for vigorous growth and fruiting. When the adult stage is reached and the temperature is around 27-32 °C, the long bean grows vigorously and produces abundantly.

Feel free to prune tops of side shoots for an abundant harvest.

Harvested 2-3 months after germination.

Flowers vary from pink to lavender.

Sowing :

Can be sown directly outdoors / in a greenhouse when the soil temperature has reached above 15 °C. Alternatively, pre-cultivate indoors for planting out in late spring. Keep sowing warm and moist.

Properties :

Duration: One year
Plant position: sun
Height: 125-200 cm
Germination time: 1-2 weeks

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common Names: Light-Purple Butterfly Pea, Asian Pigeonwings, Cordofan Pea, Darwin pea
Scientific name: Clitoria ternatea
Family: Fabaceae 

Plant history & use:

A light purple variant of the more common one Blue Sky Pea . This variety has stuffed flowers.

Large climbing plant with edible flowers. Can be grown as a cover crop against a fence or as a ground cover.

Used to color food, sweets and drinks.

In Asia, tea made directly from the flowers is drunk. Sometimes it is mixed with lemongrass, honey and lime.

Himmelsärt is also used in traditional medicine as a relaxant and memory enhancer.

As a comparison, you can think that tea made in Himmelsart is used in Asia in the same way that we in Sweden use chamomile tea.

Like The goa bean Himmelsärten is regenerative for the soil in that it fixes nitrogen from air pores in the soil and works well as a ground cover crop. On the other hand, Himmelsärten is generally not hardy in Sweden, unlike Goa bean.

Cultivation:

The sky pea is a sun-loving, fast-growing plant that quickly establishes itself if it has something to climb on.

Cultivation in a pot is recommended if you want to let it become perennial in Sweden. Overwinter frost-free.

Able to grow in both moist and dry soils. Thrives surprisingly well in heavy clay soils. For growing in pots, a loamy soil with good drainage should be used.

Top branches for a bushier growth habit.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors early in the year, alternatively sown outside in April-May.

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with small air holes to maintain good moisture.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: 150-300 cm
Germination time: 10-20 days

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common Names: Light Purple Sky Pea, Light Purple Sail Pea, Light Purple K litoria, Light Purple Butterfly Pea
Scientific name: Clitoria ternatea
Family: Fabaceae 

Plant history & use:

Magenta colored variant of the more common one Blue Sky Pea .

Large climbing plant with edible flowers. Can be grown as a cover crop against a fence or as a ground cover.

Used to color food, sweets and drinks.

In Asia, tea made directly from the flowers is drunk. Sometimes it is mixed with lemongrass, honey and lime.

Himmelsärt is also used in traditional medicine as a relaxant and memory enhancer.

As a comparison, you can think that tea made in Himmelsart is used in Asia in the same way that we in Sweden use chamomile tea.

Like The goa bean Himmelsärten is regenerative for the soil in that it fixes nitrogen from air pores in the soil and works well as a ground cover crop. On the other hand, Himmelsärten is generally not hardy in Sweden, unlike Goa bean.

Culture:

The sky pea is a sun-loving, fast-growing plant that quickly establishes itself if it has something to climb on.

Cultivation in a pot is recommended if you want to let it become perennial in Sweden. Overwinter frost-free.

Able to grow in both moist and dry soils. Thrives surprisingly well in heavy clay soils. For growing in pots, a loamy soil with good drainage should be used.

Top branches for a bushier growth habit.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors early in the year, alternatively sown outside in April-May.

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with small air holes to maintain good moisture.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: 150-300 cm
Germination time: 10-20 days

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common Names: Light Blue Sky Pea, Light Blue Sail Pea, Light Blue K litoria, Light-blue Butterfly Pea
Scientific name: Clitoria ternatea
Family: Fabaceae 

Plant history & use:

Light blue variant of the more common one Blue Sky Pea . This variety has double petals, there is also a Light Blue Himmelsärt with a filled inflorescence .

Large climbing plant with edible flowers. Can be grown as a cover crop against a fence or as a ground cover.

Used to color food, sweets and drinks.

In Asia, tea made directly from the flowers is drunk. Sometimes it is mixed with lemongrass, honey and lime.

Himmelsärt is also used in traditional medicine as a relaxant and memory enhancer.

As a comparison, you can think that tea made in Himmelsart is used in Asia in the same way that we in Sweden use chamomile tea.

Like The goa bean Himmelsärten is regenerative for the soil in that it fixes nitrogen from air pores in the soil and works well as a ground cover crop. On the other hand, Himmelsärten is generally not hardy in Sweden, unlike Goa bean.

Culture:

The sky pea is a sun-loving, fast-growing plant that quickly establishes itself if it has something to climb on.

Cultivation in a pot is recommended if you want to let it become perennial in Sweden. Overwinter frost-free.

Able to grow in both moist and dry soils. Thrives surprisingly well in heavy clay soils. For growing in pots, a loamy soil with good drainage should be used.

Top branches for a bushier growth habit.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors early in the year, alternatively sown outside in April-May.

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with small air holes to maintain good moisture.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: 150-300 cm
Germination time: 10-20 days

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common names: White Sky Pea, White Sail Pea, White K litoria, White Butterfly Pea
Scientific name: Clitoria ternatea
Family: Fabaceae 

Plant history & use:

White variant of the more common Blue Sky Pea . This variety has stuffed flowers.

Large climbing plant with edible flowers. Can be grown as a cover crop against a fence or as a ground cover.

In Asia, tea made directly from the flowers is drunk. Sometimes it is mixed with lemongrass, honey and lime.

Himmelsärt is also used in traditional medicine as a relaxant and memory enhancer.

As a comparison, you can think that tea made in Himmelsart is used in Asia in the same way that we in Sweden use chamomile tea.

Like The goa bean Himmelsärten is regenerative for the soil in that it fixes nitrogen from air pores in the soil and works well as a ground cover crop. On the other hand, Himmelsärten is generally not hardy in Sweden, unlike Goa bean.

Culture:

The sky pea is a sun-loving, fast-growing plant that quickly establishes itself if it has something to climb on.

Cultivation in a pot is recommended if you want to let it become perennial in Sweden. Overwinter frost-free.

Able to grow in both moist and dry soils. Thrives surprisingly well in heavy clay soils. For growing in pots, a loamy soil with good drainage should be used.

Top branches for a bushier growth habit.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors early in the year, alternatively sown outside in April-May.

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with small air holes to maintain good moisture.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: 150-300 cm
Germination time: 10-20 days

A trio of 3 different seed varieties with purple-colored, edible fruits!

What gives the fruits their purple color are substances called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are so-called antioxidants that prevent and repair the body in case of oxidative stress that can occur during periods of stress or infections, for example.

Of course, the fruits also contain other nutrients that are important for good health. The goa bean has, among other things, a high protein content; The chili pepper, capsaicin, which helps reduce inflammation, and the Thai aubergine is a rich source of vitamins A, B and C, among other things.

Take part in a colorful trio and grow at the same time for good health - which of course all edible vegetables contribute to in one way or another.

A total of 35 seeds of 3 varieties:

5 seeds Purple Goa bean
10 seeds Purple Chili Pepper 'Purple Thai'
20 seeds Purple Thai Eggplant

Read more about each variety here:

• Purple Goa Bean / Purple Wing Bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)
• Purple Chili Pepper 'Purple Thai' (Capsicum annuum)
• Purple Thai Eggplant (Solanum melongena)

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common names: Butterfly Pea 'Blue Sky', Light Blue Butterfly Pea
Scientific name: Clitoria ternatea
Family: Fabaceae 

Plant history & use:

Light blue Butterfly Pea with filled flowers.

Large climbing plant whose flowers have an intense blue color that is easily released when hot water is added.

Used to color food, sweets and drinks.

In Asia, tea made directly from the flowers is drunk. Sometimes it is mixed with lemongrass, honey and lime.

Himmelsärt is also used in traditional medicine as a relaxant and memory enhancer.

The normally blue colored drink changes to purple if you add something acidic, such as lemon. This is due to pH changes in the composition. Similarly, the flowers of the sky pea are sometimes used to make blue gin, which turns purple when tonic is added.

As a comparison, you can think that tea made from Butterfly Pea is used in Asia in the same way that we in Europe use chamomile tea.

Like the Goa bean , the Himmelsärten is regenerative for the soil by fixing nitrogen from air pores in the soil and works well as a ground cover crop. On the other hand, Himmelsärten is generally not hardy in Sweden, unlike Goa bean.

Cultivation:

The sky pea is a sun-loving, fast-growing plant that quickly establishes itself if it has something to climb on.

Cultivation in a pot is recommended if you want to let it become perennial in Sweden. Overwinter frost-free.

Able to grow in both moist and dry soils. Thrives surprisingly well in heavy clay soils. For growing in pots, a loamy soil with good drainage should be used.

Top branches for a bushier growth habit.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors early in the year, alternatively sown outside in April-May.

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with small air holes to maintain good moisture.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: 150-300 cm
Germination time: 10-20 days

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common Names: Yard Long Bean 'Bicolor', Asparagus Bean, Snake Bean, Bodi
Scientific name: Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis
Family: Fabaceae

Plant history & use :

A black spotted/camouflage variant of the long bean.

Usually used and prepared in a similar way to green beans - that is, the bean pods are harvested in an unripe stage to be cooked or eaten raw. Long beans are very good to eat raw, unlike many other broad beans, thanks to their crunchy texture and rich, nutty taste.

You can also leave the bean pods on the plant until they have reached full maturity and cook the dry beans inside the pod in the same way as, for example, kidney beans.

Long beans should be eaten raw alongside other dishes, cooked in woks, pots or made into a salad. A popular example is in papaya salad (Som Tam) where the raw beans are cut into 2-3 cm long pieces and mixed with the grated papaya and other ingredients.

Lila Långböna contains e.g vitamins A, B, C and, as I said, anthocyanins.

Cultivation:

Thrives in heat & direct sun, prefers high humidity but it is not a requirement. Relatively drought tolerant once the plant is established. Can be grown both outdoors and in greenhouses.

Use an airy and well-drained soil. If you can give it a soil with a slightly acidic pH value (5.5-7.5), that is an advantage.

As a pea plant, the long bean fixes its own nitrogen in the soil and does not necessarily need to be given any additional fertilization.

The long bean is a so-called sturgeon and has a climbing habit. Feel free to give it some space and something to climb on for vigorous growth and fruiting. When the adult stage is reached and the temperature is around 27-32 °C, the long bean grows vigorously and produces abundantly.

Feel free to prune tops of side shoots for an abundant harvest.

Harvested 2-3 months after germination.

Flowers vary from pink to lavender.

Sowing:

Can be sown directly outdoors / in a greenhouse when the soil temperature has reached above 15 °C. Alternatively, pre-cultivate indoors for planting out in late spring. Keep sowing warm and moist.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Annual
Location: Sun
Height: 125-200 cm
Germination Time: 1-2 weeks

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common names: White Butterfly Pea
Scientific name: Clitoria ternatea
Family: Fabaceae 

Plant history & use:

White variant of the more common Blue Sky Pea . This variety has stuffed flowers.

Large climbing plant with edible flowers. Can be grown as a cover crop against a fence or as a ground cover.

In Asia, tea made directly from the flowers is drunk. Sometimes it is mixed with lemongrass, honey and lime.

Himmelsärt is also used in traditional medicine as a relaxant and memory enhancer.

As a comparison, you can think that tea made in Himmelsart is used in Asia in the same way that we in Sweden use chamomile tea.

Like The goa bean Himmelsärten is regenerative for the soil in that it fixes nitrogen from air pores in the soil and works well as a ground cover crop. On the other hand, Himmelsärten is generally not hardy in Sweden, unlike Goa bean.

Cultivation:

The sky pea is a sun-loving, fast-growing plant that quickly establishes itself if it has something to climb on.

Cultivation in a pot is recommended if you want to let it become perennial in Sweden. Overwinter frost-free.

Able to grow in both moist and dry soils. Thrives surprisingly well in heavy clay soils. For growing in pots, a loamy soil with good drainage should be used.

Top branches for a bushier growth habit.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors early in the year, alternatively sown outside in April-May.

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with small air holes to maintain good moisture.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun
Height: 150-300 cm
Germination Time: 10-20 days