purple vetch
Vicia benghalensis · Fabaceae
purple vetch (Vicia benghalensis) is a annual vine in the Fabaceae family. It is introduced to North America rather than native.
At a glance
| Type | vine Derived |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle | annual USDA |
| Native status | introduced USDA |
| Mature height | 1 ft USDA |
| Light | full-sun USDA |
| Flower color | Purple USDA |
| Guild layer | climber Derived |
USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.
Growing conditions
It needs full sun. Its drought tolerance is rated low.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 1 ft, making it a low, mat-forming plant.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is green, fine in texture. Its flowers are conspicuous. Its fruit or seed heads are conspicuous, extending interest past flowering. Its active growth period is spring.
What the site needs to provide
It needs at least 365 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 12 inches. Fertility requirement: medium.
Propagating it
Seed is the only propagation method USDA lists. Division and cuttings are not listed as options. USDA records no cold-stratification requirement, so seed should germinate without a chilling period. Its seed spreads at a slow rate.
Resilience and wildlife
Its fire tolerance is rated low. Its growth form is recorded as single stem.
Role in a guild
Climber. In a layered planting this is it uses other plants or structures for vertical support rather than standing on its own. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.
Tags
Related plants
Others in Vicia
- American vetch Vicia americana
- bird vetch Vicia cracca
- large yellow vetch Vicia grandiflora
- smooth yellow vetch Vicia lutea
Where this data comes from
Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol VIBE, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.
- Quoted from USDA PLANTS: active growth period, cold stratification, Drought tolerance, fall conspicuous, fertility requirement, fire tolerance, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage porosity winter, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, growth form, Lifecycle, Light, Mature height, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, propagation, resprout ability, root depth in, seed spread rate, Tolerance of wet soil, Toxicity.
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer, Type.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
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