# American vetch (*Vicia americana*) American vetch is a climbing plant with pretty purple flowers. It grows in fields and along roadsides, making the world a little brighter with its colorful blooms. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![American vetch](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Vicia_americana_5828.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vicia_americana_5828.JPG) ## Appearance The American vetch is a delicate climbing vine with feathery compound leaves that end in coiling tendrils. Its vibrant purple to pinkish-purple, pea-like flowers grow in clusters, making it stand out from other green groundcover plants. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Vicia ## Interesting facts - American vetch belongs to the pea family, just like your favorite peas and beans! - Even tiny insects like hoverflies visit its flowers to sip sweet nectar! - Its tiny pea-like seeds can be eaten, tasting a bit like lentils! - Some Indigenous peoples traditionally used parts of this plant for food or medicine! ## Special abilities - **Tendril Navigator:** American vetch has spring-like tendrils that help it grip onto other plants, allowing it to climb towards sunlight and grow taller. - **Soil Supercharger:** American vetch can pull nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil, making the ground healthier for itself and other plants. - **Seed Sprinter:** This plant's seed pods burst open when dry, flinging seeds a short distance to spread its offspring and find new homes. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-120 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer browse on its leaves and stems as a food source. - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Bumblebees visit its flowers, collecting nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Song sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/song-sparrow) (*Melospiza melodia*) — Song sparrows and other birds eat the nutritious seeds. - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — Tiny bacteria in its roots help it 'fix' nitrogen for growth. ## Traits - [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always check with an adult before touching or picking plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify American vetch? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is American vetch? 30-120 cm ### How big are the flowers on American vetch? 1-2 cm ### When does American vetch bloom? Late spring to mid-summer ### Is American vetch edible? Yes ### Is American vetch toxic? None ### What is American vetch's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is American vetch pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Brandon Road Lock and Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brandon-road-lock-and-dam) — Illinois, US · Historic Site - [Richard Bong State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/richard-bong-state-recreation-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Bromley Rock Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bromley-rock-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Black Mountain Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-mountain-grove) — California, US · Forest - [Cripple Creek Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cripple-creek-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [Dresden Island Lock and Dam Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dresden-island-lock-and-dam-historic-district) — Illinois, US · Historic District [View all places to see American vetch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/american-vetch) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [American vetch: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-vetch)