Kidney Vetch Seed

Description

Anthyllis vulneraria

Kidney Vetch

Kidney Vetch is a perennial wildflower found in dry  places and poor soil, especially chalk. It is a legume, so fixes nitrogen into the soil, helping with soil fertility. It has small pea-like flowers arranged in dense heads. They vary in colour from bright yellow through pinks and reds to cream. Flowers from early summer until autumn. The whole appearance of the flower heads is hairy until the flowers actually open. The leaf edges are quite hairy too, making them a grey-green. In the right place, this plant makes a low clump, but can be quite shortlived, so a little bare soil round it will help it seed itself. Bees and other nectar and pollen feeders visit regularly, and it is the food plant for the small blue butterfly caterpillar.

Scarifying the seed helps with germination – rub with sandpaper

Seed from Shropshire