Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Vicia

Species:

Vicia canescens

USDA Symbol:

VICA20

Growth Characteristics

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

purple, violet, pink

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock following fire; common in fire-adapted grassland and woodland communities.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy loam soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

good drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to arid and semi-arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Cold stratification beneficial but not always required.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI