Samsamping/Butterfly Pea

ByMaria

20131213_090437Samsamping – Butterfly pea (Scientific name – clitoria ternate)

I’m a member of a community garden and as most gardeners I’m curious of what other gardeners have in their plot. This blue flowers caught my attention and I asked for some seeds because I love blue flowers. I asked for the name of the plant but my friend said that a Filipino friend gave it to him and that the beans is supposed to be edible.  I never seen or heard of this plant when I was growing up in the Philippines so I didn’t  have a clue either. I posted the flower in Facebook and asked anybody who knows the name and somebody responded it is called “samsamping” an Ilocano word. I don’t know if there is a Tagalog word for it.

I like this “samsamping” plant.  It is easy to grow.  Right now my plant is full of beautiful blue flowers and some have already formed into beans. I don’t know if I like to eat the beans but I sure love the flowers and the butterflies and bees love them too.  The beans are green and look just like the jicama seeds only thinner.

At least now I know what I will call these amazing blue flowers.

 

Similar Posts

Malunggay/Moringa

ByMaria

Malunggay/ moringa (Moringa Oleifera) is also known as horseradish tree because the roots taste just like horseradish.  It is also called drumstick tree because the fruit or bean pod is long.  The fruit is segmented in a triangle and has lot of seeds inside.  In the Philippines, we used the fruit or beans as vegetable. …

Cucumber Fruit

ByMaria

It’s been two weeks after I took pictures of the cucumber flowers and now it’s ready to be picked. It turned out to be a pickling type of cucumber because it is short and small but plump. I am not complaining mind you. It’s just I didn’t know what variety I planted. It’s good I…

Malunggay/Moringa

ByMaria

Malunggay or Moringa leaves are having good reviews not only as a healthy food but also a solution to reduce world hunger. I just learned that the leaves can be incorporated in the making of noodles or pasta just like spinach for added health benefits. You can mix the dried ground leaves with the rice…

Bittermelon/Ampalaya

ByMaria

The bittermelon plant in my garden really took off so fast because of the recent rains that we had. I actually had been gathering the fruits as well as the leaves which we use in soups like mung bean soup and chicken tinola which locals call Chicken Paraya. I have done a little research on…

Sayote/Chayote

ByMaria

I have been gathering sayote from my garden for awhile now and I can’t keep up with the fruits. Some are getting mature already and ready to be planted again. Its funny how it gives fruits continuously and then suddenly stops and then continues fruiting again. I have made so many recipes out of these…