Crown vetch is a vining spreading wildflower native to Europe, Asia, and Africa in the Fabaceae (legume) family. In the US and Canada, it has been used for erosion control in the 70's and 80's but has become invasive in many states including the mountains of NC, and is difficult to eradicate once established. It is toxic to humans and horses and other non-ruminants but is tolerated by cattle, goats, and sheep and is considered a good hay forage plant. The tough roots will spread quickly and cover an area preventing other plants from growing. The plant will grow 1-3 feet tall with pink and white flowers in 1-inch round clusters that are present from early summer through fall. The leaves are delicate-looking compound leaves with 12-25 leaflets. It spreads by rhizomes and seeds. It will tolerate part shade to full sun and will grow in nearly any type of well-drained soil. It needs basically no fertilizer and is drought-tolerant. This is an invasive plant. Please choose a native plant instead. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant insect or disease problems. This plant has weedy tendencies and is invasive in some locations. Please consider planting native plants like Carolina vetch ( Vicia carolina ). This plant is considered invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Mountains
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Ascending; Creeping; Dense; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Opposite
Leaf shape
Oblong; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
2-6 in. alternate compound leaf that is pinnately divided into 15-25 opposite leaflets. The leaflets are sessile, oblong to ovate with rounded base and tip. The tip may have a short needle-like tip. Leaflets are 3/4 inch long and 1/4 inch wide.
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Irregular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Pink and white, pea-like flowers in a head-like cluster arise from leaf axils; upper dilated petals with side petals that are often whitish. Clusters are 1 inch across and contain 10-25 individual 1/2-inch long flowers on 6 inch stems.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruit is an angular seedpod about ½–2" long. with 1-7 segments. It is constricted between each segment and ends in a long pointed beak.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Grooved, angular stems that are trailing to ascending and form mats. Usually glabrous but may have a few hairs.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe
Attracts
Bees; Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Legume
Uses (ethnobotany)
Used to make an insecticide
Landscape Use
Garden tags
#lilac #pink flowers #European #white flowers #long bloom time #rhizomatous #erosion control #problem for horses #high maintenance #aggressive #fast growing #meadow #weedy
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Horses; Weedy
Resistant to
Drought; Dry Soil; Erosion; Poor Soil
Propagation
Division; Seed
Poison severity
Medium
Poison parts
Flowers; Fruits; Seeds; Stems
Poison symptoms
In large quantities can cause paralysis or even death
Toxic principle
coronillin
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
Medium severity poison; parts: Flowers; Fruits; Seeds; Stems