Vicia villosa
Synonyms: Cracca dasycarpa, Cracca varia, Cracca villosa, Ervum villosum, Vicia dasycarpa, Vicia varia
Common names: hairy vetch, winter vetch, woolly vetch, shaggy vetch
Vicia villosa (hairy vetch) is a an annual forb in the pea family (Fabaceae), that is native to parts of of Europe and western Asia. It has been introduced around the world as a forage and a cover crop, as well as for green manure. It has pinnately compound leaves of 4-20 pairs of leaflets and a rambling, viney habit. Stems and leaves are covered with fine hairs. Flowers are purple, violet, blue or nearly white and arranged in tight, drooping clusters 5-40 per inflorescence. This species is widely established across California, where it impacts grassland habitat by competing with native vegetation and fixing large amounts of nitrogen in the soil, which alters soil chemistry and fertility. Vicia villosa is toxic to cattle and horses.
Weed Management Notes
No Weed RIC Management Notes are available for this species. Check for information on other species in the genus on the Weed RIC site.Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles
There are no newsletter articles associated with this species yet.
Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations
Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.
There are no Symposium presentations associated with this species yet.
Other Vicia villosa Information
- CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
- Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
- EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
- GBIF - Global distribution information.
- Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
- USDA PLANTS Database - Information on identification and distribution, with links to websites in individual states.