Securigera varia (L.) Lassen
Crown vetch, trailing crown-vetch, axseed, purple crownvetch, axwort, field crownvetch
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Rosidae Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order Fabales Legumes (pea and bean families)
Family Fabaceae Legume family (peas and beans)
Genus Securigera Latin for “armed with axe,” referring to the shape of the fruit
Species varia Diverse, differing
About plant names...
Crown vetch is native to Africa, Asia, and Europe, and is now naturalized in North
America. It is often planted on slopes to limit erosion, although studies suggest that it isn’t
especially successful at this.
In some areas crown vetch
is invasive, overcoming native grassland prairies. In appears on roadsides, abandoned
fields, and forest edges.
Plants: Plants are perennial vines that form dense mats. Plants are
up to 12″ (30 cm) in height, sometimes much higher when they climb over other plants.
Stems are angular and mostly hairless, 12-79″ (30-200 cm) long.
Leaves: Leaves are alternate , 1½-6″ (4-16 cm) long. Each leaf is odd pinnate ,
comprised of 7-25 leaflets that end abruptly in a short, stiff point. The leaflets are sessile and oblong
to ovate .
Flowers: Forms umbels of 10-25 pink and white fragrant flowers.
Flowers may also be pure white or blue to purple.
Each umbel is on a peduncle 1¾-6″ (5-15 cm) long. (A peduncle is the part of a flower stalk before
it first branches out to support the flowers.)
Fruits: The fruits are legumes—beanlike seed pods—with 3-12 segments,
¾-3″ (2-8 cm) long.
Each segment contains a single brown seed.
Edibility: Not edible for people. Some animals eat crown vetch. It can be toxic to horses in large quantities.
Online References:
Climbers.lsa.umich.edu
Illinois Wildflowers
The Bugwood Wiki
7/18/2017 · Tobyhanna State Park, Pennsylvania · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)
6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (16 × 11 cm)
6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9 cm)
6/19/2011 · New Jersey · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
7/2/2017 · Wildlife Pond, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
6/26/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm)
7/5/2009 · MacDonald-Zachos‘, Milford, Pennsylvania · ≈ 15 × 10″ (38 × 25 cm)
6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Broo, Hollis, New Hampshire
Older scientific or horticultural names
Securigera varia description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 26 Jul 2023.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Broo, Hollis, New Hampshire
7/22/2021 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 6 × 3½″ (14 × 9.4 cm)
7/5/2015 · Jeff Smith Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
9/28/2013 · Cadillac Mountain, Acadia Naitonal Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
7/2/2010 · Stansbury Mill Rd, Phoenix, Maryland · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm)
7/11/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near NH Line, Dunstable, Massachusetts
7/11/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near NH Line, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
7/27/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
6/19/2011 · New Jersey · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Broo, Hollis, New Hampshire
7/3/2023 · Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
7/2/2017 · Wildlife Pond, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Broo, Hollis, New Hampshire
6/13/2011 · Great Falls State Park, Washington, DC · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)
7/17/2012 · Beaver Brook Association Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Wildlife Pond Trail, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm)
7/17/2012 · Beaver Brook Association Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Wildlife Pond Trail, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
Range:
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