Spurred butterfly pea (Centrosema virginianum) is a small, perennial Florida native vine. This vine likes sun to minimal shade and can grow up to 12 feet long and has showy lavender flowers which are about 1.5 to 2 inches wide. The flowers are similar to bean flowers, and the larger petal on the lower side of the flower offers a landing pad for bees and other pollinators. The flowers usually bloom from June through August in the northern part of Florida and can bloom year-round in south Florida. The flowers range in color from white, pink, to lavender, to darker purple with a white spot in the center. The flowers are papilionaceous, which means they are butterfly-shaped - which is why we love them here at Little Red Wagon - Butterfly Tampa! This plant typically goes winter dormant in the northern part of Florida and is evergreen in Southern Florida. It is the larval host plant for the Long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus) and Northern cloudywing (Thorybes pylades) butterflies. This vine is pollinated by bees and primarily dispersed by ants.
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