Status:
valid
Authors:
(DC.) Link
Source:
ildis
Year:
1831
Citation Micro:
Handbuch2: 190 (1831)
WFO Identifier:
wfo-0000212777
Common Names
- Vicia pubescens
- Downy Vetch
- Bush Vetch
Synonyms
- Ervum gracile Steven [illegitimate]
- Vicia ervoides Hampe [valid]
- Ervum pubescens DC. [valid]
- Vicia tetrasperma pubescens (DC.) Asch. & Graebn. [unknown]
- Vicia tetrasperma pubescens DC. [unknown]
- Vicia salisii J.Gay ex Nyman [invalid]
- Ervum biebersteinii Guss. [valid]
- Ervum salisii J.Gay ex Lacaita [unknown]
- Vicia gemella pubescens (DC.) Rouy [valid]
- Vicia tetrasperma pubescens (DC.) Bonnier & Layens [unknown]
- Vicia tetrasperma Moris [illegitimate]
- Vicia biebersteinii Guss. [illegitimate]
- Ervum tetraspermum M.Bieb. [deprecated]
Description
Vicia pubescens (also called Bush Vetch, among many other common names) is a perennial plant with a woody base and long, hairy stems. It is native to Europe and western Asia and is found in grassy places, meadows, and cultivated fields.
Uses & Benefits
Vicia pubescens is used as an ornamental plant and as a forage crop for livestock.
Flower, Seeds and Seedlings
Vicia pubescens has small, purple flowers with four petals and a yellow center. The seed is small, round, and black. The seedlings are thin and hairy.
Cultivation and Propagation
Vicia pubescens is a hardy annual that is easy to grow from seed. Sow the seeds in the spring, in a sunny spot, in well-drained soil. The seeds should be sown about 1/4 inch deep. The plants will grow to a height of about 18 inches and will produce white flowers in the summer. The plants should be thinned to about 8 inches apart. Deadheading the flowers will help to encourage more blooms. The plants can be propagated by division in the spring.
Where to Find Vicia pubescens
Vicia pubescens can be found in dry, sandy soils in the western United States, from California to Nebraska and east to Texas.
Vicia pubescens FAQ
What is the scientific name of Vicia pubescens?
Vicia pubescens
What is the common name of Vicia pubescens?
Downy Vetch
What is the growth habit of Vicia pubescens?
It is an annual herb
Species in the Vicia genus
Vicia hassei,
Vicia lomensis,
Vicia ocalensis,
Vicia setifolia,
Vicia epetiolaris,
Vicia macrograminea,
Vicia pampicola,
Vicia acutifolia,
Vicia americana,
Vicia andicola,
Vicia bijuga,
Vicia caroliniana,
Vicia humilis,
Vicia leucophaea,
Vicia linearifolia,
Vicia magellanica,
Vicia menziesii,
Vicia minutiflora,
Vicia montevidensis,
Vicia nana,
Vicia nigricans,
Vicia pallida,
Vicia pulchella,
Vicia stenophylla,
Vicia vicina,
Vicia peruviana,
Vicia andina,
Vicia sessei,
Vicia tetrasperma,
Vicia graminea,
Vicia balansae,
Vicia michauxii,
Vicia pseudo-orobus,
Vicia hyrcanica,
Vicia amurensis,
Vicia splendens,
Vicia alpestris,
Vicia ciceroidea,
Vicia multijuga,
Vicia megalotropis,
Vicia cassia,
Vicia cypria,
Vicia kalakhensis,
Vicia eristalioides,
Vicia mollis,
Vicia hyaeniscyamus,
Vicia johannis,
Vicia parviflora,
Vicia tenuissima,
Vicia kotschyana,
Species in the Fabaceae family