Texas Gardening: Texas Native Plant Pictures ( Vines ), 1 by htop

htop wrote:
Louisiana Vetch, Deer Pea Vetch (Vicia ludoviciana), Papilionaceae Family, native, annual, blooms March to May or so, considered a weed by many

Deer pea vetch is an annual plant which has climbing or sprawling stems from 6 to 36 inches long. The South Texas Plains and Edwards Plateau regions are its native habitats. The leaves are pinnately compound having 6 to12 separate leaflets. It has lavenderish-blue flowers which are less than 1/4 inch in length which are followed by 3/4 to1 inch long flat seedpods. It will grow up and over other plants if it has a chance to do so. Deer pea vetch is a nutritious browse for wildlife. It also is useful as a soil builder through nitrogen fixation. The seeds and leaves are a food source for white-tailed deer, cattle, bobwhite quail and Rio Grande turkeys. It dies down in summer heat.

Distribution:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefip...

For more information and more photos, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/144595/index.html

The lavender-blue flowers are less than .25 inch in length. These, as seen from the side, are turning their mature color and are quite lovely.

(edited for typos)

This message was edited Apr 26, 2008 4:36 AM