I discovered Flower Friday while visiting Lorilin@Bugbugbooks and decided to begin sharing some flower pictures from our gardens along with some information about them. Please check out Lorilin’s blog if you haven’t already for book reviews and more!
Last time I shared: Blue Wood Hyacinth
Here are all 2019-2020 shares:
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- Hibiscus
- Tiger Lily
- The Zinnia and the Swallowtail
- Yarrow
- Wax Begonia
- Monarda
- Mountain Mint
- Spring Blooms
- Rhododendron
- One Beautiful…One Interesting
- Persian Carpet Zinnia
- Hibiscus (non-tropical)
- More Hibiscus
- Volunteer sunflowers
- Lemon queen sunflowers
- Marigolds and Pumpkins
- Mountain Mint, Swallowtail, and Zinnias
- Blue Wood Hyacinth
Today’s share:
Purple Hairy Vetch
This is an interesting plant which I never planned on sharing, but it’s become a favorite over the years.
This purple hairy vetch is a plant belonging to the legume family, but you wouldn’t want to eat it; although deer, turkey, and rabbits do. This plant is a good source of pollen and nectar for honey bees, which eagerly forage on its flowers. It’s commonly used as a cover/forage crop.
These have interesting, vining flower stalks with lovely purple flowers. The vetch pictured here is roughly 12-14 inches tall. It’s growing on the side of my road, and I have no idea who planted it there. I believe this is a biennial that reseeds itself.
Plant facts:
- Hairy Vetch/Winter Vetch
- Botanical Name: Vicia villosa
- Spring/summer blooming
- Biennial/annual in zones below 9
- Native to Europe and Western Asia
Thanks for checking out Flower Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!
🧡 Mischenko
ReadRantRock&Roll 
These are so pretty and delicate looking. The name makes me laugh thought.
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I like them too, Carla. Honestly, winter vetch to me is a better reference. ☺️
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Love the color, but the name sounds like something that would crawl out from under your bed in the middle of the night, lol.
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Exactly! And would you believe it’s actually a men’s name? Lol. 😉
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Gorgeous, although I haven’t heard of them before. Sounds a bit horror-ish 😁 Nice that you caught the bee as well.
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It is a weird name, isn’t it? Thanks, Cathy! ❤️
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Love your cover pic! The purple is do pretty. Funny how so many colorful flowers grow alongside the roads. Thx for sharing! 🌱
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Thanks! I was thinking the same thing. I’d love to know who planted it there. 😃
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Gorgeous! I love these types of flowers.
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Awesome! I’m liking them more and more too. Thank you, Lisa. 💜
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This is so pretty, M! I’d love to have this here and I bet the critters would too!
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It’s an interesting flower, isn’t it? I’m just amazed at all the plants we have on Earth. We’re so lucky! Thanks, Jen. ☺️
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