American vetch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids American vetch
Scientific classification
Genus:	Vicia
Species:	americana

Vicia americana, also known as American vetch or purple vetch, is a type of plant in the vetch family. It is a legume, which means it belongs to the same plant family as peas and beans. There is also a special kind of it called mat vetch.

What is American Vetch?

American vetch is a plant that lives for many years. It is a forb, which means it is a flowering plant that is not woody, like a tree or shrub. This plant can climb! It grows from two types of roots: a taproot (a main root that goes deep) and a rhizome (an underground stem that spreads).

Leaves, Flowers, and Fruit

The leaves of American vetch are made up of several small, oval-shaped leaflets. These leaves have special curly parts called tendrils. The tendrils help the plant grab onto things and climb upwards.

This vetch has pretty, showy flowers that look like small peas. They come in lovely colors like lavender and fuchsia. After the flowers, the plant produces a flat, smooth pod, which is its fruit. These pods are about 3 centimeters (a little over an inch) long. Each pod usually holds two light brown peas inside.

Where Does It Grow?

American vetch is very common across North America. You can find it in many different places. It often grows under taller plants in forests. It also thrives in other natural areas like chaparral, which are areas with shrubs and small trees.

This plant is helpful for both wild animals and farm animals, as they can eat it. American vetch is also used to help land recover after a wildfire or when humans have changed the land, like from mining or building. It can grow well even when there isn't much rain because it is drought-tolerant. It also likes different kinds of soil, from dry to moist and sandy to coarse loamy soils.