Vicia sativa

Vicia sativa, commonly known as the common vetch, garden vetch, tare or simply "the vetch", is a nitrogen-fixing leguminous plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, but is widely naturalized in other regions.

Description

Vicia sativa is an annual herb, with hollow, four-sided, hairless to hairy stems which can reach two meters in maximum length. The leaves are stipulate, alternate and compound, each made up of 3 to 8 pairs of linear, lance-shaped, oblong, or elliptical leaflets up to 35 millimeters long. The inflorescence is a one-sided raceme of 2 to 9 flowers borne in the leaf axils. The flower corolla is 1 to 3 centimeters in length and whitish to blue or purple.

Distribution and habitat

Vicia sativa is found in a wide variety of habitats, including fields, grasslands, scrub, woods, and along the roadsides. It prefers well-drained soils and areas with full sun exposure.

Uses

Vicia sativa is cultivated for several purposes. As a legume, it has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, making it valuable for improving soil fertility for other crops. It is also used as a cover crop, green manure, pasture, silage, and hay plant. The seeds are edible and can be used in a similar manner to lentils.

Cultivation

Cultivation of Vicia sativa requires well-drained soil and a sunny position. It is a hardy plant and can tolerate frost. The seeds are sown in autumn or spring. The plant can be harvested in summer when the seeds are fully developed.

See also

• List of Vicia species
• Fabaceae
• Nitrogen fixation