Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Vicia

Species:

Vicia ludoviciana

USDA Symbol:

VILU

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb , Vine

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

purple, lavender, white

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock following fire; common in fire-maintained prairies and grasslands.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or loamy soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

commonly found in open, disturbed areas

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. May benefit from inoculation with Rhizobium bacteria.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI