Cow Vetch (Vicia cracca), also known as Tufted Vetch in the United Kingdom or Bird Vetch, is a common species of vetch native to Eurasia. Its utility as a cover crop and source of green manure has encouraged the introduction and naturalization of Cow Vetch far beyond its native range. In North America the plant is found from southern Canada to southern Virginia; it is considered an invasive weed in some areas and its sale may be regulated.

Description

Cow Vetch is similar to a pea in both appearance and growth habit. It is found creeping through grassy fields and thickets, waste areas, roadside ditches and around derelict settlements. The vetch sends out noose-like tendrils from the tips of its leaves when it contacts another plant and securely fastens itself. An indivudal plant may reach a length (or height) of two metres and its tap root may extend up to one metre.

The plant is fast-growing and a prolific bloomer, sending out one-sided racemes of cascading pea-shaped purple to violet flowers from the leaf axil during its May–August blooming period. Its compound, pointed leaves take the form of 8–12 pairs of leaflets. Cow Vetch is very similar to Hairy Vetch (also an introduced species), but is distinguished from the latter by its smooth stem.

The two centimetre-long seed pods, like the flowers, resemble those of a pea. The tiny seeds within are known to be ripe when the pods have turned black.

Uses

A patch of Cow Vetch in an Ontario field.

Named for its use as a forage crop for cattle, Cow Vetch is benefitial to other plants because, like other leguminous plants, it enriches the soil in which it grows by its nitrogen-fixing properties. Cow Vetch is also much appreciated by bees and butterflies as a source of nectar. The plant may also be used to curb erosion.

Owners of pet birds such as budgies may use Cow Vetch as a nutritious treat; the birds are especially fond of the seeds but may also eat the foliage.

Drawbacks

Cow Vetch is considered by some to be a potentially detrimental species in areas where it is not native. The vetch may crowd out native wildflowers, especially in areas of disturbed soil where the vetch may dominate before other plants have a chance to take hold. This is especially a concern in prairie and other natural habitat restoration or land reclamation projects.

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