New Arrivals: Butterfly Pea, Marigold & Ixora

Published June 18, 2026 · 4 min read

We're expanding our botanical collection beyond lotus. Three exciting new additions have landed: Butterfly Pea, Dried Marigold Petals, and Dried Ixora Coccinea — each with its own unique history, uses, and vibrant color.

Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea)

Butterfly Pea is the star of natural food coloring. This striking blue flower is used across Southeast Asia to color rice, desserts, and beverages. But the real magic happens when you add lemon — the brilliant blue instantly shifts to a vivid purple. It's the party trick of the herbal tea world.

Brewing is simple: steep 3–5 dried flowers in boiling water for 3–5 minutes. Drink plain for a clean, earthy blue tea, or squeeze in lemon for the color change. It's naturally rich in antioxidants, particularly flavonoids.

Dried Marigold Petals

Marigold — or calendula — has been used for skin care, digestion, and natural food coloring for over a millennium. Our dried marigold petals are hand-picked and shade-dried to preserve their brilliant golden-orange color.

Steep for a mildly floral, slightly bitter tea that's great on its own or mixed with honey. Many of our customers use marigold petals alongside our lotus products — the golden-yellow and blue-green pair beautifully in a travel mug.

Marigold is also widely used in cosmetic preparations. The petals can be infused in carrier oils for a natural face oil, or added to bath water for a golden soak.

Dried Ixora Coccinea

Ixora Coccinea, also known as Scarlet Ixora or Jungle Ginger, is a deeply culturally significant flower across South and Southeast Asia. In Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia, Ixora garlands are a daily offering in Hindu temples and home shrines.

In Ayurvedic tradition, Ixora is used for its cooling properties. Our dried version can be brewed into a crimson-hued infusion with an earthy, slightly woody flavor. It's a rare find — not commonly sold as dried botanicals outside of Asia.

Ixora is the rarest of our three new arrivals. We source it directly from gardens in Sri Lanka where it's grown for both ceremonial and herbal use. Harvesting is seasonal, so stock is limited — when it's gone, it's gone until the next harvest cycle.

Why We Added Them

AyuRa started as a lotus shop, but our vision was always bigger. Sri Lanka is a botanical goldmine — the volcanic soil, tropical climate, and ancient growing traditions produce plants that are simply unmatched in quality.

Butterfly Pea, Marigold, and Ixora grow alongside our lotus in the same ecosystem. They share the same sun, soil, and care. It only makes sense to offer them alongside our core lotus line.

Try Them Together

Here are some combos our customers love:

• Blue Lotus + Butterfly Pea: The ultimate relaxation blend — calming alkaloids meet antioxidant-rich blue tea
• Marigold + Honey: A bright, floral morning tea that's great for skin and digestion
• Ixora + Green Tea: An earthy, grounding blend popular in South Asian wellness circles