Securigera varia (L.) Lassen

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

7/18/2017 · Tobyhanna State Park, Penn­syl­vania
≈ 21 × 14" (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" (14 × 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
≈ 5 × 4½" (13 × 11 cm)

7/2/2017 · Wildlife Pond, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 7 × 5" (17 × 13 cm)

6/26/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 7 × 6" (18 × 16 cm)

7/5/2009 · MacDonald-Zachos‘, Milford, Penn­syl­vania
≈ 10 × 8" (25 × 21 cm)

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

Securigera varia description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 17 Aug 2021.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

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

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Broo, Hollis, New Hamp­shire

7/22/2021 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine
≈ 2 × 2" (5.7 × 5.6 cm)

7/5/2015 · Jeff Smith Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 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
≈ 10 × 7" (26 × 17 cm)

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
≈ 5 × 5" (13 × 13 cm)

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Broo, Hollis, New Hamp­shire

7/2/2017 · Wildlife Pond, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 5 × 4" (13 × 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
≈ 4 × 3" (10 × 8 cm)

Range:

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