Vicia sylvatica L.
Wood Vetch
Wood vetch is one of the more elegant native members of the pea family, a trailing or climbing perennial that scrambles over neighbouring plants on branched tendrils. It can reach a metre or more where it has support.
About
Wood vetch is one of the more elegant native members of the pea family, a trailing or climbing perennial that scrambles over neighbouring plants on branched tendrils. It can reach a metre or more where it has support. Its delicate, many-paired leaves give it an airy look, and from early to late summer it bears one-sided sprays of pale flowers that are white to faintly lilac and finely pencilled with violet-blue veins, most strikingly on the upper petal.
In Britain and Ireland it is widespread but only locally common, favouring the cooler and wetter west. It grows in wood and scrub margins, rocky banks, ravines and ungrazed grassland, and is a notable feature of sea cliffs, screes and lightly vegetated shingle at the coast. It prefers open, undisturbed ground and will not persist under heavy grazing. In some districts it is treated as an indicator of ancient woodland, so it is best used in naturalistic woodland-edge and coastal settings rather than conventional borders.
Synonyms
Cracca sylvatica · Ervilia sylvatica · Ervum silvaticum · Vicia foetens · Vicia halleri · Vicia sylvatica violacea · Vicia tetragona · Vicilla sylvatica · Vicioides sylvatica · Wiggersia sylvatica
In our seed mixes
Beta — under active development. This catalogue is still being built and accuracy-checked. The information here (including plant identifications, British native status, soil and sun/shade preferences) is provided in good faith for general guidance only and may contain errors or omissions. It must not be relied upon on its own — please confirm details with us before making planting, specification, foraging or purchasing decisions, and never eat or medicinally use any plant based on this catalogue alone, as some species are toxic. To the extent permitted by law, Phoenix Amenity Supplies accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this information.