Carnegiea gigantea, Giant Saguaro

Southwest Desert Flora

Home to the plants of the Sonoran, Chihuahuan and Mojave Deserts

Cirsium ochrocentrum, Yellowspine Thistle

Vicia americana, American Deervetch

Vicia americana, American Deervetch Vicia americana, American Deervetch Vicia americana, American Deervetch Vicia americana, American Deervetch

Scientific Name: Vicia americana
Common Name: American Deervetch

Also Called: American Vetch, American Purple Vetch

Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae Family

Synonyms: (Vicia acicularis, Vicia americana var. pallida, Vicia perangusta var. latiuscula, Vicia washingtonensis)

Status: Native

Duration: Perennial

Size: Up to 30 inches (.76 m) with assistance from neighboring plants.

Growth Form: Forb/herb, vine, hairy or without pubescence, stems single, short and erect or spreading, branches slender, climbs over nearby vegetation.

Leaves: Green; leaves in pairs (8 to 16), pinnately compound.

Flower Color: Blue-purple, pinkish-purple, reddish-lavender to lavender; pea-like flowers (up to 10) from leaf axils, fruit is a pod with several seeds.

Flowering Season: May to September, earlier and shorter season in California blooming from April to June; and shorter in Texas where it blooms from May to July.

Elevation: 5,000 to 10,000 feet (1,524 - 3,048 m) .

Habitat Preferences: Open moist areas, disturbed areas and along streams, sandy, loamy soil habitats; American Deervetch is a climbing species in many habitats including chaparral vegetation habitat.

Recorded Range: American Deervetch is found throughout most of North America, generally absent is the southeastern and far north eastern parts of the United State. Good populations throughout the southwestern states, Texas has only a few geographic representations.

North America species range map for American Deervetch, Vicia americana:

North America species range map for American Deervetch, Vicia americana:
Click image for full size map.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Vicia americana.

U.S. Weed Information: Unknown
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: Unknown

Wetland Indicator: In North America Vicia americana, has the following wetland designations;

  • Alaska, FACU
  • Arid West, FAC
  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, FACU;
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, FACU;
  • Great Plains, FACU;
  • Midwest, FACU;
  • Northcentral & Northeast, FACU;
  • Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast, FAC;

  • FACU, Facultative Upland, usually occur in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands
    FAC, Facultative, occur in wetlands and non-wetlands.

    Threatened/Endangered Information: "Purple Vetch" is apparently extirpated in Maryland.

    Genus Information: In North America, USDA Plants Database lists species and accepted taxa overall for Vicia. Worldwide, World Flora Online includes 845 accepted species names and a further 276 scientific names of infraspecific rank for the genus.

    The genus was published in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus, (1707-1778).

    In the Southwestern United States: Arizona has 6 species of genus, California has 17 species, Nevada and Utah each have 4 species, New Mexico has 6 species and Texas has 9 species. Data approximate, subject to revision.

    3 sub-species in Vicia americana:

  • Vicia americana subsp. americana, American Vetch;
  • Vicia americana subsp. mexicana,
  • Vicia americana subsp. minor, Mat Vetch.

  • Comments: American Deervetch is an excellent forage crop for wildlife and livestock and provides forage for game birds and small mammals. Because of its long taproot it has a strong tolerance to drought conditions. American Deervetch may be confused with the similar genus Lathyrus, technical differences separate the two species.

    Importance to Wildlife, Birds and Livestock
    American Deervetch, Vicia americana has attractive flowers, the flowers and their seeds may be visited by hummingbirds and/or small mammals including rodents and granivorous birds in search of nectar or food.

    U.S.D.A., U.S. Forest Service; Fire Effects Information System (FEIS)
    The U.S.D.A., U.S. Forest Service; Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) has published a comprehensive review regarding the natural history and ecology in the United States, of American Deervetch, Vicia americana. The information is available on-line here. According to this information American Deervetch provides excellent forage for both wildlife including elk and mule deer and livestock. American Deervetch also provides forage for game birds and small mammals.

    Beneficial Value to Butterflies, Honey Bees and Insects
    American Deervetch, Vicia americana has attractive flowers, the flowers and their plants may be visited by butterflies, moths, flies, honeybees, and other insects in search of food and nectar.

    ****Special Value to Native Bees****
    According to The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, American Deervetch, Vicia americana, is recognized by pollination ecologists as attracting large numbers of Native bees. Click here for more information on their Pollinator Conservation Program.

    According to the Encyclopedia of Life and Butterflies and Moths of North America, The genus Vicia, and Deervetch are used by a multitude of butterflies and moths including those listed below;

  • Eastern tailed-blue, Everes comyntas (Pea family host)
  • Queen Alexandra's Sulphur, Colias alexandra
  • Labrador Sulphur, Colias nastes
  • Western Sulphur Colias occidentalis
  • Common sulphur, Colias philodice
  • Western Tailed-Blue, Cupido amyntula
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue, Cupido comyntas
  • Funereal Duskywing, Erynnis funeralis
  • Grey Partridge, Perdix perdix
  • American Lady, Vanessa virginiensis
  • Arogos Skipper, Atrytone arogos
  • Swarthy Skipper, Nastra lherminier
  • Ottoe Skipper, Hesperia ottoe

  • Find out more from Butterflies and Moths of North America, (BAMONA) and from Encyclopedia of Life, (EOL).

    Etymology:
    The genus “Vicia” means means 'binder' in Latin; this was the name used by Pliny for vetch. The vetch is also referenced by Horace in his account of 'The town mouse and country mouse' as ervum. This is said to be a source of comfort for the country mouse after a disturbing insight into urban life.

    The genus was published in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus, (1707-1778).

    The species epithet americana (america'na): American, of America.

    The taxon Vicia americana, American Deervetch was described in 1802 by Gotthilf Henry Ernest Muhlenberg, (1753-1815).

    Ethnobotany - Native American Ethnobotany; University of Michigan - Dearborn
    American Deervetch, Vicia americana is used by United States indigenous peoples for such purposes described below.
  • Acoma Food, Unspecified; Seeds used for food.
  • Iroquois Drug, Love Medicine; Infusion of roots used by women as a love medicine.
  • Keres, Western Drug, Dermatological Aid; Leaves rubbed in hands and applied to spider bites.
  • Keres, Western Food, Vegetable; Black peas used for food.
  • Laguna Food, Unspecified; Seeds used for food.
  • Laguna Food, Unspecified; Whole pods used for food.
  • Mendocino Indian Food; Fodder, Used for fodder.
  • Mendocino Indian Food; Vegetable, Stems baked or boiled and eaten as greens.;
  • Mendocino Indian Other; Good Luck Charm, Small bunch of roots kept in the pocket for good luck while gambling.
  • Montana Indian Food; Unspecified, Cooked and eaten for greens.
  • Navajo, Kayenta Drug; Veterinary Aid, Plant smoked by horse to increase the horse's endurance.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug; Eye Medicine, Infusion of plant used as an eyewash.
  • Navajo, Ramah Drug; Panacea, Plant used as 'life medicine.'
  • Okanagan-Colville Drug; Ceremonial Medicine, Infusion of tops used as a bathing solution in the sweathouse.
  • Squaxin Drug, Analgesic; Infusion of crushed leaves used as a bath for soreness.
  • Thompson Food, Fodder; Plant used as fodder for horses and cattle.
  • Yuki Fiber, Cordage; Stout roots used for tying.

  • See complete listing of ethno-botanical uses at Native American Ethnobotany, University of Michigan, Dearborn.

    Date Profile Completed: 09/10/2015, updated 04/10/2022

    References and additional information:

    Kearney, Thomas H., Peebles, Robert H., 1960, Arizona Flora, University of California Press, Berkley and Los Angeles, California.
    Plants.USDA.gov; Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service on-line database and USGS ITIS search; accessed on-line; 04/08/2022.
    https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=VIAM
    https://plants.usda.gov/home/basicSearchResults?resultId=335fd843-f33a-41c6-a602-df59dc775b7d
    World Flora Online; A Project of the World Flora Online Consortium; An Online Flora of All Known Plants - (accessed on-line; 04/08/2022)
    http://www.worldfloraonline.org/search?query=vicia
    Encyclopedia of Life; - accessed on-line 04/08/2022.
    https://eol.org/pages/640607
    https://eol.org/pages/640607/data
    Kearney and Peebles 1969; Editor: L.Crumbacher, 2011; from SEINet Field Guide, on-line; accessed 04/09/2022.
    Coladonato, Milo. 1993. Vicia americana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
    U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available:
    https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/vicame/all.html [2022, April 8].
    Native Plant Information Network, NPIN. Published on the Internet http://www.wildflower.org/plants/; accessed on-line 04/08/2022. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas, Austin, TX.
    https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VIAM
    Wikipedia contributors. "Vicia americana." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 29 Sep. 2021. Web. 10 Apr. 2022.
    Wikipedia contributors. "Vicia." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Mar. 2022. Web. 10 Apr. 2022.
    Wikipedia contributors. "Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 27 Mar. 2022. Web. 10 Apr. 2022.
    Seiler, John, Peterson, John, North American species range map courtesy of Virginia Tech, Dept. of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation
    http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/
    SEINet synonyms, scientific names, geographic locations, general information.
    http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/
    Etymology: Michael L. Charters California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Meanings and Derivations; A Dictionary of Botanical and Biographical Etymology - (accessed on-line; 04/08/2022)
    http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/pageAB-AM.html
    IPNI (2020). International Plant Names Index. Published on the Internet http://www.ipni.org, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Botanic Gardens. [Retrieved on-line; 10 April 2022].
    https://www.ipni.org/?q=vicia
    https://www.ipni.org/?q=vicia%20americana