HDB units are famously known to be cookie-cutter units that are exactly the same. The only way to stamp your individuality in your own home is to buy flowers and decorate. Given Singapore’s strong emphasis on being a city in a garden, it’s only natural for locals to develop a knack for filling their homes with houseplants they love.
But, in everyone’s effort to make homes distinct, it’s led to a strange phenomenon where HDB houses all end up looking the same - a neat row of potted plants at the doorway, or in some cases, a jungle of overgrown shrubbery. These are unique sights that belong to Singapore’s homegrown culture. And one of the signature plants you’ll see in every HDB is the Butterfly Pea.
Unbeknownst to many, the Butterfly Pea is deeply rooted in Singapore’s culture in more ways than just the HDB. Read on to find out why the Butterfly Pea is top of our list of daily pick flowers in Singapore, and unravel all its hidden influences on our local culture.
Other than finding them at plant nurseries in Singapore, Most people don’t know that Butterfly Pea has an industrial use in the food industry. That’s right! Its signature colour is commonly used as a natural food colouring. They make your meals look more appetising, and the intriguing colours are handy in picking up the stray eyes of busy shoppers.
Our Butterfly Pea Heritage
From as far back as the 15th century, Peranakan culture has been a part of Singapore’s heritage as one of the oldest lineages of race and culture in Singapore. And one of the most common local dishes that used Butterfly Pea colouring is Peranakan food, like the traditional Nonya rice dumplings and Nasi Kerabu, as well as local kueh favourites like Pulut Tai Tai and Kueh Salat.
Besides being traditionally used by our ancestors, Butterfly Pea dye incidentally has trendy uses today too, and they’re so highly raved about among the younger crowd. Picture the most iconic food today that Singaporeans consume religiously, and you’d have your answer. If you haven’t already guessed it from the header, it’s bubble tea!
Butterfly Pea tea infusions have been so popular because of its beautiful dark blue colour, and because it is, quite simply, magic. It changes colour to blue or even pink to give the most satisfying colour hue combinations that make it possible to taste dusky sunsets or the starry galaxy.
Okay, let’s talk science. The Butterfly Pea’s magic is quite simply due to the flower hue’s ability to change colour in different pH levels. So a plain slice of lemon would do the trick!
Bubble tea shops and cafes realised the Butterfly Pea’s massive potential in food and shamelessly tapped into it for a Butterfly Pea tea craze that took young and old foodies in Singapore by storm.
Picture having an Instragrammable dessert at home daily. There’s been an online explosion of fun home recipes using the colour-changing Butterfly Pea as an ingredient. Grow and pick your own Butterfly Pea fresh cut flowers at home in Singapore, and have your share of the fun.
You can find Butterfly Peas in plant nurseries, or as dried tea leaves in Singapore wholesale stores.
The Butterfly Pea’s blue-purple colour represents magic and intrigue. It also symbolizes agility and vitality because this plant can be used for anything from creative food colouring to medicine.
Looking to find out more about flower meanings? Check out .
While it can be unusual to use Butterfly Pea in a hand bouquet, there are many benefits to having a houseplant like Butterfly Pea.
A houseplant makes you feel instantly at home. It also acts as a mood lifter and stress reliever. Pruning and maintaining it is so very therapeutic, and breathing in fresh, clean, crisp oxygen is sure to help your health overall.
Looking for other possibilities of fresh cut flowers for your home? Find an extensive range of stylish flower arrangements from our online store in Singapore. No need for the hassle of going down to wholesale stores or plant nurseries. If you buy flowers from Smiling Flora Singapore, we deliver beautifully arranged flowers to your doorstep, freshness guaranteed.
