Eastern Forest Threat Center - Hairy Vetch

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Hairy vetch flowers

Hairy vetch flowers

John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org

Hairy Vetch
Vicia villosa

Hairy vetch is native to Europe and Asia. Vetches have been introduced into the U.S. as ornamentals, cover crops, erosion control, and "smother crops" used to control weeds in agricultural fields.

Keywords: Fabaceae, annual, perennial, herb, soft hairs; Common names: winter vetch, fodder vetch, woollypod vetch, sand vetch, Russian vetch, Siberian vetch

Distribution Map Distribution Source Image

Threat Description

Hairy vetch is an annual or perennial herb in the pea family with climbing stems up to 6.5 ft. long. The whole plant has a white-woolly appearance because of long soft hairs. A shallow taproot system develops strong lateral branches. Leaves are compound pinnate with 4-12 pairs of opposite leaflets tapering towards the apex with 2-3 branched, terminal tendrils. Self-fertilized purple to blue flowers of 10-20 are borne on long stalks arising at the base of the leaves. Elongated flattened pods contain 2-8 rounded seeds ranging from dark brown to grey-black in color. Hairy vetch has a rapid growth rate and grows best in the dry sandy soils of disturbed fields and thickets. It is adapted to a range of soils from fine- to coarse-textured, but not acidic or saline soils. It has escaped from cultivation and is considered invasive in some areas where it can crowd out native plant species.