Vicia cracca (Tufted vetch) — Backlit, Stuttgart, Germany, 2021

HA-0094 · Backlit, Stuttgart, Germany, 06/2021, Julian Auch

Tufted vetchVicia cracca

Vicia cracca, commonly known as tufted vetch, is a perennial climbing wildflower native to Europe and northern Asia. It is distinguished by its long, one-sided racemes of violet-blue, pea-like flowers and its delicate tendrils that allow it to scramble through grasses and shrubs. The species name cracca comes from a Latin term for rattling or crackling, possibly referring to the sound of its dry seed pods. Unlike many vetches, Vicia cracca forms extensive, flowing drapes over vegetation, giving summer meadows a characteristic blue haze and making it one of the most visually distinctive climbing legumes of open landscapes.

Scientific Name

Vicia cracca

Family

Fabaceae

Order

Fabales

Lifespan

Perennial

Blossom Color

Purple

Blossom Symmetry

Zygomorph