This is an extraordinarily variable species, some of whose forms should probably be separated into independent species[].

Common Name: Tufted Vetch

General Information

Vicia cracca is a herbaceous perennial climbing plant growing 30 - 180cm tall. The usually branching stems scramble over the ground, climbing into surrounding vegetation where they attach themselves by means of tendrils[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It has occasionally been cultivated as a food plant, but yields are too low to make it very worthwhile[]. It is sometimes used as a green manure.
The plant can escape from cultivation and become a weed of cultivated and disturbed ground[].

Known Hazards

The seeds contain the anti-nutritional compound L-canavanine, a competitive inhibitor of arginine decarboxylase. This is removed by soaking the seeds in water prior to cooking and discarding the soak water.

Botanical References

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Range

Eurasia - Norway to Portugal, east to eastern Siberia, China, Japan, Korea, Turkey and the Levant

Habitat

Grassy and bushy places, avoiding acid soils[, ]. Forest margins, thickets, scrub, hill slopes, valleys, grasslands, meadows, streamsides, wet sandy land, alluvium, fields, roadsides; at eleations up to 4,200 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	1.20 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any well-drained soil in a sunny position if the soil is reliably moist throughout the growing season, otherwise it is 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

Seed - cooked[, , ]. They are boiled or roasted[].

Leaves and young stems - cooked[]. Used as a potherb[].

The leaves are a tea substitute[].

Medicinal

The cooked plant is used as a galactogogue[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant can be used as a green manure[].

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.