Family: Fabaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. pl. 2:735. 1753
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Vicia
Vegetable: False
Observations: Temp. Eurasia
Description
Cow vetch, scientifically known as Vicia cracca, is a perennial plant that belongs to the Fabaceae family. This herbaceous plant is native to temperate regions across Eurasia. The species was first described in 1753, in the seminal work “Species Plantarum” by Carl Linnaeus, a renowned Swedish botanist often referred to as the father of modern taxonomy.
Growing in a variety of environments, Cow vetch thrives in meadows, grasslands, and along roadsides. It prefers well-drained soils and can be found in both full sun and partial shade. The plant’s stems are climbing or trailing, reaching lengths of up to 1.5 meters (5 feet). These stems are equipped with tendrils which allow the plant to attach to surrounding vegetation for support.
The leaves of Cow vetch are compound, usually bearing around eight to twelve pairs of narrow, lance-shaped leaflets that terminate in a tendril. This adaptation aids the plant in climbing and sprawling over other plants.
One of the most distinguishing features of Cow vetch is its vibrant, purple-blue flowers, which appear in elongated, spike-like clusters. These flowers bloom in the summer months, attracting a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. The plant’s ability to fix nitrogen in the soil through symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria makes it ecologically significant, as it enriches the soil and supports biodiversity.
Post-blooming, Cow vetch produces flat, dark-brown pods containing seeds that are dispersed by various mechanisms, including animal movement and human activity. The seeds are resilient and can remain viable in the soil for several years, contributing to the plant’s ability to establish and spread in suitable habitats.
Though beneficial in many natural ecosystems, Cow vetch can become invasive outside its native range, competing with local flora and sometimes dominating landscapes if left unchecked. Therefore, while it is valued for its aesthetic and ecological contributions, management practices should be in place in areas where it poses a risk of becoming overly prolific.
In summary, Cow vetch (Vicia cracca) is a notable member of the Fabaceae family, recognized for its climbing growth habit, striking flower clusters, and ecological benefits, particularly in temperate Eurasian regions. Its presence enriches the soil and supports diverse wildlife, though care must be taken to manage its spread in non-native areas to prevent ecological imbalances.
Common Names
Eng: bird vetch, boreal vetch, cow vetch, tufted vetch, bramble vetch, canada pea, cat peas, purple tufted vetch, purple-white tufted vetch, tinegrass, tufted pea
Deu: gewöhnliche vogel-wicke, vogel-wicke
Dan: muse-vikke, fuglevikker
Por: cisirão, ervilhaca
Nob: fuglevikke
Nno: fuglevikke
Nor: fuglevikker, musærter, vejflock, vejgrass, viflock, væflock
Cat: garlanda
Fin: hiirenvirna
Swe: hiirenvirna, kråkvicker
Fra: vesce à épis, vesce jargeau, jargeau, jarosse, vesce cracca, vesce multiflore
Nld: vogelwikke
Sme: sáhpánsáhpal, lottegazzasáhpal
Cym: ffacbys y berth, ffacbysen y berth, ffacbysen y berth gwyg, gwygbysen, pys y gath, pys y llygod bach, tagwyg, tagwyg bysen
En: Cow vetch, Tufted vetch, Bird vetch, Purple tufted vetch, Blue vetch, Boreal vetch, Canada pea, Bramble vetch, Cat peas, Purple-white tufted vetch, Tinegrass, Tufted pea
Ar: بيقية معنقدة
Hy: Արտին
Be: Гарошак мышыны
Bg: Птича глушина
Ca: Garlanda comuna, Garlanda, Pesolinera
Zh: 多花野碗豆, 广布野豌豆, 阿尔泰野豌豆, 阿爾泰野豌豆
Kw: Gwegbys tosek
Cs: Vikev ptačí
Da: Musevikke, Muse-vikke, Fuglevikker
Nl: Vogelwikke
Eo: Birda vicio, Vicio birda
Et: Harilik hiirehernes
Fi: Hiirenvirna, Hiirenherne
Fr: Nombreuses, Vesce à épis, Vesce Cracca, Vesce jargeau, Vesceron, Vesce craque, Jargeau, Jarosse, Vesce multiflore, Vesce à feuilles grêles, Vesce à feuilles ténues, Vesce de Cracovie, Pois à crapauds
De: Vogel-Wicke, Gewöhnliche Vogel-Wicke, Vogelwicke, Vogel Wicke
Is: Umfeðmingur
Ga: Peasair na luch
It: Cracca, Veccia moltiflora, Veccia montanina, Veccia spicata
Lt: Mėlynžiedis vikis
Mk: Птичја глушина
Se: Fierbmerássi, Sáhpal, Sáhpánsáhpal, Lottegazzasáhpal
No: Fuglevikke, Fuglevikker, Musærter, Vejflock, Vejgrass, Viflock, Væflock
Nb: Fuglevikke
Nn: Fuglevikke
Os: Хъæддаг хъæдур
Fa: ماشک کلاغی
Pl: Wyka ptasia
Pt: Cisirão, Ervilhaca
Pt-br: Ervilhaca-dos-passarinhos, Cisirão
Ru: Gorošek myšinyj, Горошек мышиный
Sk: Vika vtáčia
Es: Algarrobilla de monte, Alberjacas, Alvejón, Alverja silvestre, Alverja, Alverjana, Alverjón, Arbeja de caballo, Arveja silvestre, Arveja, Arverjas, Becilla, Haba-cracca, Mata soberbia, Verza, Vesa, Veza, Zapatetas locas, Veza de pájaro, Veza francesa
Sv: Kråkvicker, Hiirenvirna
Zh-tw: 阿爾泰野豌豆
Zh-hant: 阿爾泰野豌豆
Uk: Горошок мишачий
Vi: Liên đậu
Cy: Ffacbysen y berth, Ffacbys y Berth, Ffacbysen y Berth Gwyg, Gwygbysen, Pys y Gath, Pys y Llygod Bach, Tagwyg, Tagwyg Bysen
Synonyms
- Cracca major (Godr. & Gren.)
- Vicia cracca subsp. oreophila ((Zertova) Á.Löve & D.Löve)
- Vicia cracca f. humilis (Neuman)
- Vicia cracca var. pulchra ((Druce) P.D.Sell)
- Vicia hetoropus (Freyn)
- Vicia cracca f. macrophylla (Maxim.)
- Vicia cracca f. canescens (Maxim.)
- Vicia cracca var. canescens ((Maxim.) Franch. & Sav.)
- Vicia cracca var. peudocassubica (Klett & Richt.)
- Vicia versicolor (Salisb.)
- Vicia cracca var. leucantha ((Nakai) Nakai)
- Vicia cracca var. vulgaris (W.D.J.Koch)
- Vicia macrophylla ((Maxim.) B.Fedtsch.)
- Vicia pontica (Willd.)
- Vicia kitaibelii (Rchb. ex Nyman)
- Vicia tenuifolia var. laxiflora (Griseb.)
- Vicia scheuzeri (Brügger)
- Vicia cracca subsp. imbricata (Rouy)
- Vicia cracca f. etiamalba (B.Boivin)
- Vicia cracca var. plumosa ((Timb.-Lagr.) Rouy)
- Vicia oiana (Honda)
- Vicia tenuifolia f. laxiflora ((Griseb.) Diklić)
- Vicia douglassii (Torr.)
- Vicia tenuifolia subsp. stenophylla (Velen.)
- Vicia cracca subsp. kitaibeliana ((Rchb.) Soó)
- Vicia oreophila (Zertova)
- Vicia cracca f. pulchra (Druce)
- Vicia cracca var. gerardi ((Gaudin) W.D.J.Koch)
- Vicia grenieri (Rouy)
- Cracca plumosa (Timb.-Lagr.)
- Vicia cracca f. pallidiflora (Maxim.)
- Vicia cracca f. leucantha (Nakai)
- Cracca pyrenaica (Gren. ex Rouy & Foucaud)
- Cracca vulgaris (Opiz)
- Vicia imbricata (Gilib.)
- Vicia cracca var. nana (Gaudin)
- Vicia tenuifolia var. stenophylla (Boiss.)
- Vicia cracca subsp. vulgaris (Schinz & R.Keller)
- Ervum cracca ((L.) Trautv.)
- Vicia cracca var. linearis (Peterm.)
- Vicia cracca var. alpina (Rouy)
- Vicia cracca subsp. galloprovincinalis (Asch. & Graebn.)
- Vicia australis (Ten.)
- Vicia azurea (Schur)
- Vicia multiflora (Lam.)
- Vicia kitaibeliana (Rchb.)
- Vicia cracca subsp. stenophylla ((Velen.) P.H.Davis & Plitmann)
Distribution
- Afghanistan (native)
- Albania (native)
- Altay (native)
- Amur (native)
- Austria (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Belarus (native)
- Belgium (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Buryatiya (native)
- Central European Rus (native)
- China North-Central (native)
- China South-Central (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Chita (native)
- Corse (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- Denmark (native)
- East Aegean Is. (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- Finland (native)
- France (native)
- Føroyar (native)
- Germany (native)
- Great Britain (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Iceland (native)
- Inner Mongolia (native)
- Iran (native)
- Ireland (native)
- Irkutsk (native)
- Italy (native)
- Japan (native)
- Kamchatka (native)
- Kazakhstan (native)
- Khabarovsk (native)
- Kirgizstan (native)
- Korea (native)
- Krasnoyarsk (native)
- Krym (native)
- Kuril Is. (native)
- Lebanon-Syria (native)
- Magadan (native)
- Manchuria (native)
- Mongolia (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- North European Russi (native)
- Northwest European R (native)
- Norway (native)
- Pakistan (native)
- Poland (native)
- Primorye (native)
- Romania (native)
- Sakhalin (native)
- Sardegna (native)
- Sicilia (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Tibet (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Tuva (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- West Siberia (native)
- Xinjiang (native)
- Yakutskiya (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Argentina South (introduced)
- Cape Provinces (introduced)
- Falkland Is. (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Labrador (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Minnesota (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- New Zealand North (introduced)
- New Zealand South (introduced)
- Newfoundland (introduced)
- Oregon (introduced)
- South Australia (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Washington (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
Additional Images
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Flower
Taken Apr 16, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 23, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 9, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 1, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 6, 2021 by astrid b (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Jul 9, 2022 by randovu (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 10, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 21, 2021 by Terje Norli (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 2, 2021 by Patrice Nodet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 3, 2020 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Aug 10, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 21, 2021 by Terje Norli (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 2, 2021 by Patrice Nodet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 3, 2020 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 6, 2021 by astrid b (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Sep 1, 2021 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 8, 2021 by Daniel Bourget (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 20, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 28, 2022 by Dominik Muczyński (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 8, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Mar 28, 2021 by Rico García Antonio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 6, 2022 by Antoine LEPAGE (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 31, 2022 by Gaël Covain (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 25, 2021 by Eduard (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 1, 2021 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Aug 21, 2020 by Giode Tonpino (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 21, 2022 by Eduard (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 17, 2022 by Waldemar Zeja (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 31, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 18, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30263827-2)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2975287)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Vicia cracca L.)
Specifications
Growth form: Rhizomatous
Growth habit: Vine, Forb/herb
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth
Ph maximum: 7.0
Ph minimum: 4.9
Light: 6
Atmospheric humidity: 6
Soil nutriments: 5