# purple crownvetch (*Securigera varia*) Purple crownvetch is a beautiful plant with lovely purple flowers that bloom in spring and summer. It grows low to the ground and is often found in fields and along roadsides. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 128 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![purple crownvetch](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/20170715Securigera_varia1.jpg&width=800) Photo: AnRo0002, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20170715Securigera_varia1.jpg) ## Appearance The purple crownvetch has clusters of small, delicate pinkish-purple flowers that resemble tiny crowns. Its long, slender stems vine across the ground, covered with compound leaves made up of many small, oval leaflets, creating dense green mats. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Coronilla ## Interesting facts - Crownvetch can grow so fast and thick, it can cover and shade out other plants nearby! - Each little flower looks just like a tiny pea, but it grows in a bundle, not a pod! - Its strong roots can grow down several feet, making it super tough to remove! - The unique flower clusters are shaped like a small 'crown,' giving the plant its royal name. ## Special abilities - **Soil Binder:** Purple crownvetch has deep, spreading roots that help it hold soil firmly, preventing erosion on slopes and disturbed ground. - **Nitrogen Boost:** Purple crownvetch can take nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil, making it richer for itself and other plants. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 150-400 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — Lives in roots, converting atmospheric nitrogen into nutrients. - **Eaten by:** [white-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — White-tailed deer may browse foliage, especially when other food is scarce. ## Traits - [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. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify purple crownvetch? 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 purple crownvetch? 30-90 cm ### How wide does purple crownvetch spread? 150-400 cm ### How big are the flowers on purple crownvetch? 0.5-1 cm ### When does purple crownvetch bloom? Late spring to early fall ### Is purple crownvetch edible? No ### Is purple crownvetch toxic? Moderate ### What is purple crownvetch's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Arden Park–East Boston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arden-park-east-boston-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Bald Eagle State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bald-eagle-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Blackstone Boulevard–Cole Avenue–Grotto Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackstone-boulevard-cole-avenue-grotto-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Bristol Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bristol-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Broadway-Armory Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-armory-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District [View all places to see purple crownvetch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/purple-crownvetch) ## 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: [Purple Crownvetch: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/purple-crownvetch)