Sand butterfly pea
Centrosema arenicola
Last reviewed: September 2026
Sand butterfly pea (Centrosema arenicola) is a perennial vine native to FL. It blooms in May, June, July, August, and September. The flowers draw bumble bees and carpenter bees.
Toxicity unknown
Sand butterfly pea (Centrosema arenicola) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
6"–24" H × 36"–96" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Native to
FL
Pollinators
bumble bees, carpenter bees
Before you buy
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A twining perennial vine with trifoliate leaflets and large, showy, violet-purple pea-shaped flowers held close to the foliage. Grows in dry, sandy scrub, climbing over low vegetation or trailing along the ground.
Growing Sand butterfly pea
Grow Sand butterfly pea in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 6 to 24 inches tall and spread 36 to 96 inches wide.
Wildlife value
The large flowers require the strength of bumble bees or carpenter bees to open, and the vine provides tangled cover for small wildlife in sandy scrub habitat.
Common questions
- How much sun does Sand butterfly pea need?
- Sand butterfly pea grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Sand butterfly pea bloom?
- Sand butterfly pea blooms in May, June, July, August, and September.
- Where is Sand butterfly pea native?
- Sand butterfly pea (Centrosema arenicola) is native to FL, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What pollinators does Sand butterfly pea attract?
- Sand butterfly pea draws bumble bees and carpenter bees.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Sand butterfly pea? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.