SafePlants

Crownvetch: A Versatile but Aggressive Ground Cover

Securigera varia, also known as crownvetch or purple crown vetch, is a perennial legume appreciated for its ground cover capabilities, especially for erosion control. While valued for its aesthetic appeal and utility, its aggressive growth habit warrants careful consideration.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

• Scientific Name: Securigera varia (L.) Lassen
• Synonym: Coronilla varia
• Common Names: Crownvetch, purple crown vetch, axseed, axwort, hive-vine, trailing crownvetch
• Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae or Pea Family)

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to Africa, Asia, and the Mediterranean region.
• Naturalized in many locations throughout the northeastern U.S., including fields, roadsides, and waste areas.

Ecological Role

• Used for erosion control and land rehabilitation.
• Considered an invasive plant in some regions.
• Known to smother natural vegetation due to its rapid growth.

Morphological Characteristics

• Herbaceous vine that usually forms thickets up to 3 ft (0.9 m) in height.
• Perennial legume with creeping stems that can reach two to six feet in length.
• Forms dense mounds of vegetation.
• Leaves are pinnately compound (feather-like) with leaflets on both sides.
• Flowers are pink and yellow, appearing in 1-inch round clusters with pea-shaped blossoms.

Growth and Reproduction

• Reproduces by seeds and spreads vegetatively via rhizomes.
• Spreads aggressively and can form dense, nearly impenetrable stands.
• Can grow up to 10 feet in a single year.

Quirky Facts

• Pennsylvania is the only state that has designated an official state beautification and conservation plant: Penngift Crownvetch (Coronilla Varia L. Penngift).

Uses

• Erosion control on disturbed slopes.
• Ground cover.
• Food plots for deer and seeds for birds such as turkey or quail.

Further Information

• Invasive Plants: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants