Vicia villosa aka Fodder Vetch

Vicia villosa, also known as hairy vetch, fodder vetch, or winter vetch, is a legume that is native to Europe and western Asia. It is an annual or biannual viny plant that is grown as a forage crop, fodder crop, cover crop, and green manure. The plant has a woolly appearance due to the long soft hairs on its stems and leaves. It remains green longer than common vetch, and it is appreciated as a cover crop and green manure. It flowers and seeds late in the season and often survives the dry season, regenerating to almost full strength during the next rainy season. Hairy vetch is found in all US states and is considered invasive in some, such as Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington state. It is also invasive in Japan and some parts of Europe where it is not native. The species has several subspecies, with Vicia villosa ssp. villosa being the most common. The plant is 30-70 cm in height in mature swards, but when provided with support, it can climb and reach a height of 1-2 m. Tufted vetch is a similar plant, but it has a smooth stem. Hairy vetch is appreciated as a cover crop and green manure. It is invasive in many US states and can be found growing along river banks, meadows, prairies, shoulders of highways overpasses, along roads, edges of croplands, and in abandoned fields. The hairy racemes of showy flowers can reach lengths of 6 inches and develop from the ails of the leaves. Another plant called Vicia hirsuta is also commonly referred to as hairy vetch.