Fauna
Plant

Butterfly Pea

Centrosema virginianum

Also known as Spurred Butterfly Pea, Wild Blue Vine, Blue Bell, Wild Pea

Butterfly pea is a perennial twining vine featuring distinctive inverted, lavender to deep violet blossoms with a prominent pale center and a small spur on the banner petal. The trailing stems scramble over low shrubs and sandy soil, using coiled leaf tendrils to climb toward full sunlight. Like many legumes, its roots form symbiotic associations with soil bacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen, helping it thrive in poor, drought-prone soils.

ClimbingWildflowerNitrogen-Fixing
Butterfly Pea reference
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Long-tailed Skipper Caterpillar
  • Northern Bobwhite
ThreatsFire suppression, habitat loss to development, and invasive weed competition
HabitatsPine flatwoods, sandhills, coastal dunes, and open sunny thickets
Life spanPerennial (typically 3–8 years)
Classification
  1. OrderFabales
  2. FamilyFabaceae
  3. GenusCentrosema
  4. SpeciesCentrosema virginianum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Flower Structure: Look beneath the flower banner to find the distinctive spur that separates it from Clitoria species.
  • Best Viewing Time: Search open, sandy paths and pine edges during midsummer when flowers bloom profusely in morning light.
Related species
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