(21 votes, average: 3.71 out of 5)
Loading...
Vetch
Edible 
Autumn 
Spring 
Summer
A member of the pea family, Fabaceae, which forms the third largest plant family in the world with over thirteen thousand species. Of these species, the bitter vetch, was one of the first domesticated crops grown by neolithic people. There are many different vetch species, the purple flowered varieties are all safe to eat, see Hedgerow Confusion below.
| Hedgerow Type | |
| Common Names | Vetch, Common Vetch, Bush Vetch, Poor Mans Peas |
| Scientific Name | Vicia spp. |
| Season Start | Mar |
| Season End | Oct |
Leaves
Small thin leaves growing in pairs opposite to each other on a stem with fine curled climbing tendrils at the end.
Flowers
Small purple ‘pea’ like flowers turning into pods containing ‘peas’. Vicia sepium flowers are pictured.
Seeds
The seeds are toxic and must be treated as red kidney beans and pressure cooked and processed before consumption.
Stem
Fine, green and having flat sides instead of being rounded. Grows along the ground unless it finds something to grow up.
Habitat
Anywhere partially shady particularly hedgerows and woodland edges.
Possible Confusion
Other Vetches, some of which are toxic to ruminents and should also be avoided by humans. If you stick to any vetch with purple flowers growing along the flower stem and not in a ‘crown’ on top, and the plant does not have long, obvious ‘hairs’, you should be safe. Common vetch has small ‘hairs’ on the leaves but these are less obvious.
Bitter Vetch has much larger leaves when mature and while not poisonous it leaves a nasty bitter taste in the mouth for some time after ingestion.
Taste
The leaves cooked as a green vegetable taste like peas, the peas themselves taste like peas but must be processed before eating.
Frequency
Very common.
Collecting
Only the top eightish centemetres of leaf should be collected. The peas should be harvested when young as older specimins can start to build up toxins but all should be dried, soaked, boiled and have the water thrown away a couple of times before consumption.
Other Facts
Animal fodder and as it is nitrogen fixing is good as a fallow or meadow crop.
8 comments for Vetch
This is the most fabulous guide. So many photos, excellent detailed description, thorough information, it warns you and encourages you – thank you so much!
This is a very good articles . So many photos, excellent detailed description, thorough information, it encourages me – thank you so much.
Researching vetch, I found you. Brilliant! My site is http://www.yogakathryn.com. I will be adding recipes and thanks to your tips I can avoid anyone accidentally being poisoned!
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Vetch plant was often found in rural and nature areas, growing wild. When found, during my childhood, we were able to eat the minute small green pea like seeds, without any harm. During the said era, when DDT was sold to farmers and gardeners, when approved by government at the time, and widely used. The Vetch and wild strawberries, gradually disappeared from rural areas.
Apparently same as the “fitches” mentioned in Isaiah 28:27
Thank you so much for that information – it shows us that it has been with us at least since biblical times!! Nice to know, somehow.
Can the flowers of the Hairy Vetch be used to make jelly?
What a beautiful plant – it grows in one field near where I live in Sydney. I was researching to see if it was edible. Wonderful tips in the ‘Possible confusion’ segment – thanks!