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Home > Crops & Species > Temperate grain legumes > Vetches > Bitter vetch
Bitter vetch
Vicia ervilia
Mon 12 March 2007

Other names
English: Bitter vetch, ervil, ervila vetch, lentil vetch
Danish:  Perlebælg
French: Vesce ervilia; ervilier
German: Linsenwicke; ervenwicke
Spanish: Yeros; titos, alcarceña, alverja, alcarraceña, ervilla, lenteja bastarda 

Botanical description
A short (20–70 cm), annual plant, with prostrate, trailing habit and highly developed root systemstem, compound leaves of ten to sixteen couples of leaflets without tendrils. The flowers are white sometimes with a violet tinge, and the seeds cream to redish brown and 2–4 seeds per pod, tetrahedral and from 3-5 mm in diameter.

Production description
Largely grown in Spain. Very resistant to cold during the growing period because of its sparse habit and branching and slow growth. Very resistant to drought, even in spring. A harvest is obtained even during excessively dry years. In favourable conditions, high yields are obtained. Suited to neutral or lightly acid soils Tolerates limy types of soil. provided they are not too clayey.

Major uses and marketed products
Traditionally used for feeding ruminants, particularly sheep, but seeds contain cyanogenic glucoside, canavanine, and trypsin inhibitors so must not exceed 25% of the ration. Grown in Spain and eligible for EU financial support.



Sources and links
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/1492/legume_animal.html

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