Common Name:

General Information

Vicia amoena is a herbaceous perennial climbing plant growing 50 - 100cm tall, exceptionally to 180cm. The much-branched stems scramble over the ground, climbing into the surrounding vegetation where they attach themselves by means of tendrils[, ].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food. The leaves are often sold in local food markets in Korea[].
Vicia amoena has a wide distribution range, it is known to occur in protected areas and the population is believed to be stable at present. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2012)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Northern Asia - Kazakhstan, Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, northern China, Japan, Korea

Habitat

Forests, forest margins, woods, scrub, dry slopes, grasslands, hills, hill slopes, riverbanks, sides of irrigation ditches, dry rocky banks, fixed sand dunes, fields, abandoned fields, wastelands, roadsides; at elevations to 4,000 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	0.75 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Species in this genus generally succeed in any well-drained soil in a sunny position if the soil is reliably moist throughout the growing season, otherwise they are best grown in semi-shade[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - cooked[, ]. Used as a pot herb[]. Used as 'namul' in Korea - this is a cooked side dish prepared by steaming or blanching the vegetables, placing them in small serving bowls with sesame oil seasoning and serving them at room temperature[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ in spring or autumn. The seed has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.