Bush Vetch
ExplorePlants
Bush Vetch
Vicia sepium
Bush Vetch is a climbing plant with pretty purple flowers. It grows in fields and along roadsides, making the world a little brighter with its colors.
Habitat: Grasslands
Appearance
The Bush Vetch is a scrambling plant with delicate purple-blue, pea-like flowers that grow in small clusters. It has distinctive green leaves made of several pairs of oval leaflets, ending in branched tendrils that help it climb. Its overall appearance is often found trailing through other vegetation.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderFabalesFamilyFabaceaeGenusVicia
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Before modern farming, Bush Vetch was sometimes grown in fields to help feed farm animals!
Even its name, 'Vetch,' comes from an old word meaning 'to bind' or 'twist,' just like its climbing stems!
Its seed pods burst open with a snap, flinging tiny seeds far away to grow new plants!
This plant is a 'soil superhero,' adding special goodness that helps other plants grow big and strong!
Special abilities
Ability
Climbing Climber
Bush Vetch has tiny coiled tendrils that help it grip other plants, allowing it to climb upwards to reach more sunlight.
Ability
Soil Superhero
Bush Vetch can pull nitrogen from the air into its roots, enriching the soil and helping other plants grow stronger.
Ability
Explosive Seed Sprayer
Bush Vetch has seed pods that burst open when dry, flinging seeds away to colonize new areas.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 30-100 cm
- Spread
- 20-80 cm
- Flower Size
- 1-1.5 cm
- Bloom Season
- Late spring to late summer
- Edible
- Yes
- Toxicity
- None
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
pollinates
Buff-tailed Bumblebee
Bombus terrestris
Feeds on nectar, aiding reproduction.
pollinates
European Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
Collects pollen and nectar for its colony.
eats
Black Bean Aphid
Aphis fabae
Feeds on its sap, potentially weakening it.
symbiotic with
Rhizobium Bacteria
Rhizobium leguminosarum
Forms nodules for nitrogen fixation.
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
Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
Nitrogen Fixing
Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants.
Edible
Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
Grassland
Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
Pollinator Magnet
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Rapid Growing
Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
Keystone Species
Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always look but don't touch wild plants without asking an adult.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Bush Vetch?
30-100 cm
How wide does Bush Vetch spread?
20-80 cm
How big are the flowers on Bush Vetch?
1-1.5 cm
When does Bush Vetch bloom?
Late spring to late summer
Is Bush Vetch edible?
Yes
Is Bush Vetch toxic?
None
What is Bush Vetch's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is Bush Vetch pollinated?
Insect
Snap Map
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