Aparajita (Gokarna): An Easy Flowering Plant to Grow at Home

Aparajita Plant at a Glance Difficulty	Beginner-friendly
Watering	Water when soil feels dry
Where I grow mine	Balcony
Maintenance	Low
Best for	Beginner plant parents

Another easy plant to grow at home if you love flowers it would be Aparajita or Gokarna.

Gokarna name originates from two sanskrit words "Go"+"Karna". Go is cow and karna is ear in Sanskrit.The shape of this flower resembles cow's ear hence the name.
What fascinates me is this plant has some mythological references

Offering first flower to Shiva

Aparajita has a special place in Indian traditions. 

In different regions and families, the blue flowers are associated with worship and are offered to deities including Durga, Shiva and Vishnu.

Its striking blue hue is often symbolically connected to Neelkanth (Shiva's blue throat).

Aparajita is also known as Butterfly Pea and is popularly associated with blue herbal infusions. However, in this post I am focusing on my experience of growing the plant at home and enjoying its beautiful flowers.

Why I Chose to Grow Aparajita at Home

Opened Aparajita pod with seeds

Back at my mother's place there was Gokarna vine.My grandmother was women of few words.I have seen her twirling tender gokarna stems across balcony grill giving it support,checking for dried leaves and carefully saving seedpods.

Last year on Ghatasthapana i.e. First day of Navratri festival I decided to have my own Gokarna and sow seeds of this plant.

To my surprise by Dushahara I could see tiny sprouts .

The growth of this plant was phynomenal.By year end it surprised me with delicate bud which soon turned into beautiful blue flower.

Bud showing up.

The first flower

I witnessed this growth closely.Like first time mother I had captured every moment of its growth.

Now when I look at those pictures it gives such a satisfaction.

How to Grow Aparajita from Seeds

In case you growing it at your home instead of buying from nursery I recommend grow it from seeds.

Watching seeds grow into flowers is indeed a wonderful experience.

Buds of this plants are very naughty.They just camouflage in green leaves and then one fine day you suddenly notice them.And next day poof..its already a flower. 

Once plant starts to grow provide support as it is a climber.Or keep pot near grills or railings which can act as natural support.

How Much Water and Sunlight Does Aparajita Need?

Water the plant when the top layer of soil feels dry. Make sure the soil is well drained. If the leaves look droopy or dull, the plant may need water.

A few hours of sunlight each day has worked well for my Aparajita plant.

Aparajita Is a Beautiful Climbing Plant

Aparajita, also known as Gokarna or Butterfly Pea, is a beautiful flowering climber that can be grown at home. Its botanical name is Clitoria ternatea.

One thing to keep in mind when growing Aparajita is that it is a climber. As it grows, give it a simple support such as a railing, trellis or garden grill. Watching the plant gradually find its way around the support is one of the things I enjoy most about growing it.It also reminds me of my grandmother.

When I look at my garden it has Sadabahar,gulbakshi,Aboli,Gokarna,tulsi all these flowering plants. I have seen them all since my childhood in my neighbourhood.

No fancy colourful pots or hanging pots or designer balcony set ups.

Each house would have these plants as if their family members.Seed pods,cuttings would get shared freely among neighbours.

These are around for years and also they are part of our lives showing harmony and symphony between human and nature.

This one surely has my heart as unknowingly it takes me deep down the memory lane, where I get to meet my grandmother. 💕

If you are looking for an easy flowering plant to grow at home, Aparajita or Gokarna is a beautiful choice. It can bring colour to a balcony garden and watching it grow from seed to flower makes the experience even more rewarding.

For a beginner plant parent, this is one flowering plant I would happily recommend trying.

If you're looking for more easy plants to grow at home, you may also enjoy my experiences with [Snake Plant], [Spider Plant] and [Money Plant].