Wood vetch is an attractive native, herbaceous perennial, wildflower in the bean family (Fabaceae) native to southeastern Canada and central and eastern United States, including North Carolina. It tends to prefer undisturbed areas and can be easily overlooked. Wood vetch does best in well-drained, mildly acid soils, but is tolerant of most soil types, including clay. It can grow in full sun or full shade, 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide, with climbing stems that give it a vine-like habit. Propagation is by seeds. In spring, clusters of light pink to white pea-like flowers can cover the plant. Legumes follow the flowers that explode open to expel their seeds. The pinnately compound leaves are alternate with an entire margin, hairy underside and tend to disappear in late summer. The stem is hollow, hairy, and slightly winged. Unlike some plants in this genus, wood vetch is not weedy. Wood vetch could be used in a naturalized area or a native pollinator garden, allowing it to twine along other plants or sprawl along the ground. Fire Risk: This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
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.
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | 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; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Creeping; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Velvety
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leaves are pinnately compound and alternate with an entire margin and hairy underside. They terminate in single or bifurcated tendrils.
Flower color
Blue; Pink; White
Flower shape
Trumpet
Flower detail
White, pea-like flowers with pinkish or blue tips appear April through June.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Caryopsis; Legume
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Seed pods are 1/5 to 1 inch long and explode open to disperse seeds
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The stem is hollow, hairy, and slightly winged.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeastern Canada and Eastern United States.
Distribution
AL , AR , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV Canada: ON
Wildlife value
Bees and butterflies are attracted to the flowers. Host plant for Northern Cloudywing butterfly. Seeds may be eaten by songbirds.
Attracts
Butterflies; Songbirds
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Caryopsis; Legume
Uses (ethnobotany)
Used by Native Americans for a variety of medicinal purposes