Vicia

( VIK - ee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus contains species commonly known as Vetches, and are native to Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa. These plants produce beans and lentils, and are important food crops around the world. Take care when planting these vines in your garden, as some species are toxic when consumed by humans, pets, or grazing animals.

Vicia Species and Varietals

The genus Vicia is a member of the plant family Fabaceae, and includes around 240 species. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Vicia americana (American Vetch, Purple Vetch)
This perennial climber can grow from either a taproot or rhizome and have leafy stems that produce tendrils for climbing. These plants are common in forest understory environments, and provides a great food source for grazing animals. Fruit pods are oblong and contain 2 light brown peas. Flowers are purple to magenta-pink.

Vicia andicola (Andean Vetch, Alverjilla de Paramo)
This species is native to the Andes Mountain range from Venezuela through Argentina. Leaves are thin and flattened, and flowers are pink, purple, and blue.

Vicia benghalensis (Purple Vetch, Reddish Tufted Vetch)
This species is native to southern Europe, North Africa, and nearby islands. This annual climber has hairy stems, making the plant appear to glow white. Flowers are dark purple to red in color, and are followed by pods that contain multiple seeds. These plants are commonly used as cover crops and as fodder for grazers.

Vicia bithynica (Bithynian Vetch)
Native to Turkey, this species is an annual climber, and can reach about 2 feet tall at maturity. Flowers are light purple and white, and are followed by a hairy pod. These plants are not cultivated for animal or human consumption, as the seeds contain high levels of Vicine.

Vicia canescens
Endemic to the mountains of Lebanon, this species forms a rounded shrub of grey-green foliage that reaches 1 foot tall and 1.5 feet wide at maturity. Flowers bloom in clusters, and are white, pink, and purple with dark veining. Uppermost leaves on these shrubs may produce tendrils.

Vicia caroliniana (Carolina Vetch, Carolina Wood Vetch)
These plants are native to North America, and are used primarily by native populations of Cherokee, who use the plant medicinally.

Vicia cassubica (Kashubian Vetch, Danzig Vetch)
These plants are found growing in understory environments in Oak forests in their native range (most of Europe), and are climbing perennial herbaceous vines that enjoy growing in disturbed soils.

Vicia cracca (Cow Vetch, Bird Vetch, Blue Vetch, Boreal Vetch)
Native to Europe and Asia, this species of Vetch is considered a weed in many areas of the globe. These climbers fasten themselves to surrounding plants and structures, sometimes choking out smaller plants. These are fast-growing prolific bloomers with magenta-pink flowers that appear on one side of flowering stems. Seed pods contain between 6 and 8 seeds each, and pods vary from light to dark brown and are sometimes marked with darker colors.

Vicia dumetorum
This species of Vetch is native to Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe and is an erect plant. Vicia dumetorum is considered rare in cultivation, and produces stalks of flowers with between 3 and 12 blooms each. Flowers are blue-purple and white with dark veining and bloom from May through June.

Vicia ervilia (Ervil, Bitter Vetch, Gavdaneh, Kersannah, Yero, Rovi, Burcak)
This species is commonly grown as cattle feed, and produces seeds that are very bitter. To lessen bitterness, a few rounds of soaking is recommended.

Vicia faba (Fava Bean, Faba Bean, Broad Bean)
These plants are used commonly as a cover crop and are also widely consumed by humans worldwide. These annual plants are stiffly erect, and do not produce tendrils. Fragrant flowers are black and white with dark veining, and pods mature to a black-brown color. Harvest in spring through late summer.

Vicia grandiflora (Large Yellow Vetch, Bigflower Vetch, Large-Flowered Vetch)
These plants are native to Europe and Asia, and are annual plantings. They have an upright, vining habit and produce light yellow flowers with dark brownish purple veining.

Vicia hassei (Hasse's Vetch, Slender Vetch)
This species is native to the west coast of North America, from Oregon down through Baja California, Mexico. These plants are found in both coastal and inland habitats in their native range, and are annual vining climbers that produce tendrils. Flowers appear singularly or in pairs, and are light pink and white.

Vicia hirsuta (Hairy Vetch, Hairy Tare, Tiny Vetch)
This annual herbaceous climbing plant produces a slender stem tipped with tendrils. Flowers are whitish to pale blue and are followed by seed pods that are black-blue to green. and normally contain two seeds.

Vicia lathyroides (Spring Vetch)
These plants are native to Europe and Asia, and produce blue to purple-tinged white flowers followed by hairless legume pods.

Vicia lens (Lens culinaris) (Lentil)
These plants reach about 16 inches tall and produce seed pods with two seeds each. These seeds are used around the world in soups, curries, and as a side dish. The seeds are processed, normally shelled in the process. There are many different varieties of this species; cultivars are listed and described below.

Vicia lutea (Yellow Vetch, Smooth Yellow Vetch)
Native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa, this annual herbaceous vine produces solitary white flowers with yellow to purple-tinged corollas.

Vicia menziesii (Hawaiian Vetch)
This species is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, and has been listed as a federally endangered species. Flowers produced are yellowish, maturing to rose-pink and fading to purple before black seed pods appear.

Vicia minutiflora (Pygmyflower Vetch, Smallflower Vetch)
This species is native to the southeastern United States, and grows in dry, open woodland areas in its natural habitat. Small white flowers are produced in early springtime.

Vicia monantha (Barn Vetch, Square-Stemmed Vetch)
This widespread species of Vetch is native to the Mediterranean, western and central Asia, and has been introduced to Australia. These climbing plants produce

Vicia narbonensis (Narbon Bean, Narbon Vetch, Narbonne Vetch, Moor's Pea)
This species is native to Madeira and the Mediterranean through central Asia and the western Himalayas. These plants are grown for their use as a green manure and forage crop, and the beans can be eaten once processed.

Vicia nigricans (Black Vetch)
This species has subspecies native to western North America from Canada down through Northern California, and to Argentina and Chile. This perennial climber has a hollow stem and attaches itself via tendrils to structures and other plants. Flowers are pink to reddish-purple, and pods that follow turn black as they dry out, hence the common name Black Vetch.

Vicia onobrychioides (Saffoin Vetch)
This species is native to southern Europe and northwestern Africa. These plants can reach between 16 inches and 40 inches tall at maturity, and produce white, pink, and violet flowers in May through August, followed by hairless seed pods.

Vicia orobus (Wood Bitter-Vetch)
This perennial climbing plant reaches about 2 feet tall at maturity and produce clusters of pink and white flowers with dark purple veining. These plants are native to Europe, where they prefer to grow on rocky outcroppings and on the edges of seasonal grazing fields.

Vicia palaestina (Palestine Vetch)
This species is native to Greece, the Aegean Islands, Turkey, Cypress, the Levant, Sinai, and Iraq. Seeds of this species are non-toxic, even when raw.

Vicia pannonica (Hungarian Vetch)
Native to southern and central Europe and western Asia, this species is cultivated as an agricultural crop for use as hay and livestock fodder. They commonly escape cultivation and grow along roadsides and in disturbed areas of soil. Each flower inflorescence produces two flowers that are yellow or purple and marked with darker colors. Seeds are produced within pods.

Vicia peregrina (Wandering Vetch, Broad-Pod Vetch, Rambling Vetch, Slender-Leaved Vetch)
These climbing, self-pollinating herbaceous vining plants produce purple and white flowers in spring and summer, followed by seed pods. Foliage is slender and green. These plants are native to Madeira, Central Asia, Vietnam, and the Mediterranean, where it primarily grows in temperate biomes.

Vicia pyrenaica (Pyranean Vetch)
This species is generally grown as an ornamental plant and is native to France and Spain. They produce crimson flowers and have compact foliage, making them great for mixed beds and borders.

Vicia sativa (Common Vetch, Garden Vetch, Tare, Vetch)
This species has naturalized itself in many areas worldwide, and is used as a rotation crop or for livestock fodder. Plants are annuals and have a sprawling habit, producing white to magenta colored flowers in spring and summertime. Pods turn brownish-black when they are ripe for picking.

Vicia sepium (Bush Vetch)
These shrubby vining plants grow in woodlands, hedgerows, and grasslands in their native range (western Europe and central Asia). They grow from rhizome, and have a bushy habit. Stems are tipped with tendrils, and flowers are lilac, blooming in spring and summertime.

Vicia sylvatica (Ervilia sylvatica) (Woodland Vetch)
This herbaceous perennial produces climbing stems that top out around 5 feet tall. Plants extend to a foot wide. Flowers are white with beautiful purplish veining. Peapods are small and black.

Vicia tenuifolia (Fine-Leaved Vetch, Cow Vetch, Fodder Vetch, Bramble Vetch)
This species is widespread in Europe, and is used as a food source for livestock and humans in some areas of the globe. Leaves are pinnately compound with narrow leaflets, creating a delicate look. Flowers appear between June and August each year, and are red, pink, or blue-purple.

Vicia tetrasperma (Ervum tetraspermum) (Smooth Tare, Smooth Vetch, Lentil Vetch, Sparrow Vetch, Four-Seeded Vetch)
This annual plant reaches 2 feet tall at maturity, and produces pale blue flowers. These plants can be invasive in some areas if they escape garden borders. Stems are slender and branching and leaves are slender and compound.

Vicia unijuga (Two-Leaf Vetch)
This perennial species is native to eastern Asia, and grows in both forested and open habitats. Purple flowers are produced in fall.

Vicia villosa (Hairy Vetch, Fodder Vetch, Winter Vetch)
These plants are considered invasive in many areas of the United States, and are native to Europe and Asia. These plants are used as winter cover crops, a complement to summertime crops like Tomato.