Crown Vetch

Crown vetch is an herbaceous perennial belonging to the legume family. Its stems can grow between 2 to 6 feet long in a trailing, creeping pattern. The flowers are pinkish to lavender or white and are arranged in clusters. Crown vetch is native to central and eastern Europe, as well as the Caucasus region of Asia. It was introduced to the United States as early as the mid-1800s and became widely planted by the 1950s as ground cover, a cover crop, and a stabilizer for banks and slopes along roads and waterways. Today, it can be found throughout the continental United States and in most counties of Minnesota.