BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Vicia americana | American Vetch 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
American vetch is a native rhizomatous, single-stemmed ascending or
climbing perennial forb up to 30 inches (75 cm) tall [35].  The
inflorescence is a raceme with up to 10 flowers that are 0.5 to 1.5
inches (1.25-3.75 cm) long, each producing a pod 1 to 1.5 inches
(2.5-3.75 cm) long and containing two to several pealike seeds
[32,35,36].  American vetch has a moderate to deeply branched taproot
which reaches a maximum depth of about 40 inches (100 cm) [37].  It has
strong drought tolerance [35].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Geophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
American vetch reproduces from seed and creeping rhizomes [1]. 


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
American vetch grows in a wide variety of habitats.  It is found in
moist to dry areas, swampy woods and borders, mixed forests, and
clearings.  It is common in moist or sheltered foothill canyons and
meadows [8,34,36].  It grows on sandy, clayey, medium-textured soils.
In western mountains it is usually more abundant in deep porous loams
that are rich in organic matter.  Soils vary from acidic to moderately
basic and are sometimes moderately saline [35].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

American vetch occurs in all stages of succession.  It grows in open
sunny sites and invades fire-disturbed areas [17].  It is also shade
tolerant.  It is found in the understories of quaking aspen communities
of the upper Great Lakes region [3] and in Englemann spruce (Picea
engelmannii) communities of the Rocky Mountains [4].

 


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
American vetch new growth begins in early spring to early summer,
varying with environment.  It flowers from May to August and the seeds
mature about 1 month after flowering [11,35].

Related categories for Species: Vicia americana | American Vetch