Securigera varia (L.) Lassen

Coronilla varia L.

Crown vetch, trailing crown-vetch, axseed, purple crownvetch, axwort, field crownvetch

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:

Securigera varia on climbers.lsa.umich.edu

Securigera varia at Illinois Wildflowers

Securigera varia at the Bugwood Wiki

Securigera varia on the New England Wildflower Society’s GoBotany site

7/18/2017 · Tobyhanna State Park, PA
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 34 cm)

6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 6 × 4" (15 × 10 cm)

6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

6/19/2011 · NJ
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

7/2/2017 · Wildlife Pond, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, NH
≈ 8 × 5" (20 × 13 cm)

6/26/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, MA
≈ 7 × 6" (18 × 15 cm)

7/5/2009 · MacDonald-Zachos‘, Milford, PA
≈ 15 × 10" (38 × 25 cm)

6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, NH

Securigera varia description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 21 Aug 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, NH

7/5/2015 · Jeff Smith Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, NH
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

7/15/2020 · Stansbury Mill Rd, Phoenix, MD

7/11/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near NH Line, Dunstable, MA
≈ 10 × 7" (26 × 17 cm)

7/11/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near NH Line, Dunstable, MA
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

7/27/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

6/19/2011 · NJ
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, NH

7/2/2017 · Wildlife Pond, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, NH
≈ 5 × 4" (13 × 11 cm)

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, NH

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, NH
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm)

7/17/2012 · Beaver Brook Association Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Wildlife Pond Trail, Hollis, NH
≈ 4 × 3" (10 × 8 cm)

Range:

About this map...