Large Russian vetch, Hairy vetch, Fodder vetch
Vicia villosa
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A climbing herb. It is hairy and an annual plant. It has branched tendrils. It can grow 2 m long. The stems have long hairs. The stipules are not lobed. The leaves have 4-12 pairs of narrow leaflets. The groups of flowers are longer than the leaves. The flowers are violet, purple or blue. They are 10-20 mm long. There are 10-30 flowers in a raceme. The fruit are pods 20-40 mm long and brown. The seeds are round and black and 3-4 mm across.
There are about 140 Vicia species. They are mostly temperate.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. In China it grows between sea level and 1,800 m above sea level, mainly in north China. In Argentina it grows below 700 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Albania, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Britain, Bulgaria, Central Asia, Chile, China, Crete, Cyprus, Czech, East Africa, Ethiopia, Europe (country/location of origin), France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Korea, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mozambique, North Africa, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, South America, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Tibet, Turkey, Türkiye, Yugoslavia
How it is used for food
It is sometimes used as a vegetable. The leaves are eaten as a salad. The unripe seeds are eaten raw as a snack. They are also cooked as a vegetable.
Edible parts
Leaves, seeds, flowers
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Arvejilla velluda, Bagla otu, Clarincillo, Deli bakla, Fi, Pane e casu, Vicia velluda, Yabani bezelye