Common Kidney-Vetch

Anthyllis vulneraria

Common Kidney-Vetch is a cheerful little plant with bright yellow flowers. It grows in grassy places and helps feed bees and butterflies. It's a great friend to nature!

Hábitat: Grasslands

Aspecto

The Common Kidney-Vetch has soft, downy stems and leaves, topped with distinctive, clover-like clusters of bright yellow, orange, or sometimes red flowers. These vibrant blossoms stand out against its grayish-green foliage, making it easily noticeable in meadows and dry grasslands.

ReinoPlantaeFiloTracheophytaClaseMagnoliopsidaOrdenFabalesFamiliaFabaceaeGéneroAnthyllis

Common Kidney-Vetch

Categoría

Plantas

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

Even after flowering, its distinctive, swollen calyx makes it easy to spot in the meadow.

It's a vital food plant for caterpillars of the tiny Small Blue butterfly, a rare species!

Often called 'Lady's Fingers', its flower clusters resemble small, vibrant yellow gloves.

Remarkably, the flower color can shift from yellow to orange or red depending on the local soil.

Habilidades especiales

Common Kidney-Vetch can pull nitrogen from the air into the soil, making it richer for itself and other plants.

Common Kidney-Vetch has deep roots that help it find water and nutrients in dry, nutrient-poor soils where others struggle.

Common Kidney-Vetch has compounds that were traditionally used to help heal wounds, giving it its scientific name!

Medidas y detalles

Altura: 10-60 cm
Tamaño de la flor: 1-2 cm
Temporada de floración: Late spring to late summer
Comestible: Sí
Toxicidad: Ninguna
Ciclo de vida: Perenne
Método de polinización: Insectos

Conexiones ecológicas

pollinates

Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Bombus terrestris

Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.

eaten by

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Rabbits graze on its leaves and stems.

depends on

Small Blue Butterfly

Cupido minimus

Its caterpillars feed exclusively on Kidney-Vetch leaves.

pollinates

Small White Butterfly

Pieris rapae

Feeds on nectar, helping transfer pollen.

Rasgos

Fijador de nitrógeno

Describe a los organismos capaces de convertir el nitrógeno atmosférico en compuestos utilizables por las plantas.

Floración

Las plantas con flores son cualquier planta que produce flores como parte de su ciclo reproductivo.

Floración de verano

Las plantas de floración de verano producen sus flores durante la temporada estival, a menudo aportando un color vibrante cuando muchas otras plantas ya han terminado de florecer.