Vicia sepium
Bush Vetch
a perennial woody member of the Vicia genus in the family Leguminosae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Leguminosae
- Genus
- Vicia
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 1 m
- Fertility
- Self fertile, Bees
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
- Plant part
- Seed
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Climber
Environment
- Range
- Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain and W. Asia to the Himalayas.
- Habitat
- Grassy places, hedges and thickets, avoiding acid soils[2].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 6+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in situ in spring or autumn.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in any well-drained soil in a sunny position if the soil is reliably moist throughout the growing season, otherwise it is best grown in semi-shade[4]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[4].
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5