Vetch,  Spring; Vicia sativa

Early Bloomer. 1 to 3 red-purple sweet pea-like flowers cluster near base of stalk.  Sprawling vine, invasive alien, cattle fodder, cover crop. Notes:  Pea family.  Vetch is an alien, brought in for cattle forage.  It can become very invasive, smothering plants in its path.   The names Spring Vetch and Winter Vetch are misleading, as both grow about the same time on our trail.  The Spring species is easily discerned as it is pinkish-purple and looks much like a ‘sweet-pea,’ while the Winter Vetch is a deep purple color and hangs  from stems in long clusters of much smaller blossoms. Click on species name below to go to USDA for this species. Kingdom Plantae -- Plants     Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants         Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants             Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants                 Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons                     Subclass Rosidae                         Order Fabales                             Family Fabaceae -- Pea family                                 Genus Vicia L. -- vetch                                     Species Vicia sativa L. -- garden vetch Contains 5 Subspecies and 2 accepted taxa overall

Vetch,  Spring (Vicia sativa)

Vetch,  Spring (Vicia sativa)