Life Span
Annual and Biennials
  
Perennial
  
Type
Flowering Plants
  
Herbs
  
Origin
Europe, Asia
  
China, Japan, Korea
  
Types
Vicia ambigua, Vicia eriocarpa, Vicia microphylla
  
Not Available
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Cultivated Beds, Waste areas
  
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Open areas
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
  
5-9
  
AHS Heat Zone
8 - 1
  
9-4
  
Sunset Zone
Not Available
  
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Prostrate/Trailing
  
Clump-Forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Purple
  
Light Yellow, Ivory
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
  
Green, Light Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
  
Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
  
Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
  
Not Available
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
  
Round
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
  
Spring, Summer, Fall
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Partial shade, Full Shade
  
Growth Rate
Very Fast
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Drainage
Average
  
Poorly Drained
  
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
  
Early Spring, Late Winter
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought, Shade areas
  
Wet Site
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
Divison, Stem Planting
  
Plant Maintenance
Low
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering
  
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Keep ground moist, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Over-head watering, Requires watering in the growing season
  
In Summer
Less Watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Less Watering
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Less Watering
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic
  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Type
Clay, Sandy
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Clay, Sandy
  
Poorly Drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Partial shade, Full Shade
  
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning, Shape and thin as needed
  
Fertilizers
Calcium Sulphate, Phosphorous
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
No serious insect or disease problems, Pests and diseases free
  
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Shade areas
  
Wet Site
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Not Available
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Fine
  
Bold
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Yes
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Insects
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
Toxic
  
no allergic reactions
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets
  
Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Fixes Nitrogen, Provides ground cover
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Not Available
  
No Medicinal Use
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
  
Whole plant
  
Other Uses
As a tea substitute, useful as a ground cover
  
Not Available
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Edible, Groundcover
  
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Water Gardens
  
Botanical Name
VICIA villosa
  
PETASITES japonicus 'Variegatus'
  
Common Name
Fodder Vetch, Hairy Vetch
  
Giant Butterbur, Japanese Butterbur, Variegated Butterbur
  
In Hindi
hairy vetch
  
variegated butterbur
  
In German
Zottelwicke
  
bunte Pestwurz
  
In French
vesce velue
  
pétasite panachée
  
In Spanish
veza
  
butterbur abigarrado
  
In Greek
τριχωτό βίκος
  
διαφοροποιημένα butterbur
  
In Portuguese
ervilhaca peluda
  
butterbur variegada
  
In Polish
owłosione wyki
  
barwny Lepiężnik
  
In Latin
pea
  
varius butterbur
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Not Available
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Not Available
  
Order
Fabales
  
Asterales
  
Family
Fabaceae
  
Asteraceae
  
Genus
Vicia
  
Petasites
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Vicieae
  
Senecioneae
  
Subfamily
Faboideae
  
Not Available