VETCH & LEGUMES
Vetches is a general term referring to many plants belonging to the legume
or bean family. Many are used as ground covers (Crown vetch) or as a green
manure crop to improve the soil (Hairy vetch).
Hairy vetch, a true Vetch in the Vicia genus, is often sown in the fall
and plowed under the following spring. The plant is an annual and will
die out.
Crown vetch, is not a true vetch, though it is a legume. It was or is
commonly used by transportation departments to control erosion on banks
and interchanges. Crown vetch is drought and cold hardy, disease resistant
and seems to grow on the worst possible soils. However, this pink flowering
perennial plant tends to become weedy, and allows a perfect habitat for
burrowing animals, which isn't the best thing on banks. Plants don't respond
to close mowings.
As an interesting side note, the FAVA or FABA bean, made famous by the
movie The Silence of the Lambs, is really a vetch, instead of a type of
garden bean.
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