Spring vetchling

Spring vetchling: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Upright clump 30–40 cm tall and 35–40 cm wide, with sturdy, angular stems and no tendrils.

Leaves

Pinnate with two to four pairs of oval leaflets, fresh green; they die back during the summer.

Flower

Pea-like flowers 1.5–2 cm across in clusters of three to eight, from March to May.

Colour

Red-purple on opening, later blue-violet; white and white-pink forms also exist.

Roots

A deep taproot with root nodules: the plant dislikes being moved and can stay in the same place for a long time.

Flowering: March–May · Plants: March–April and September–October

Why grow it?

• One of the earliest flowers: from March to May, when little else flowers in the shade.
• The flowers change from red-purple to blue-violet, so you see several shades at once.
• Bumblebees and bees collect nectar from it in early spring.
• Grows well in partial shade under deciduous trees and shrubs.
• Forms a sturdy, long-lived clump with little care.

Spring vetchling: where does it grow best?

• Partial to light shade, for example under deciduous shrubs; it also tolerates spring sun.
• Humus-rich, fertile loam or clay, neutral to chalky.
• Reasonably moist soil; neither too wet nor too dry.
• Choose a permanent spot straight away, because it dislikes being moved. Allow 35–40 cm per plant.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.35 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Periwinkle: Evergreen foliage and blue flowers, even in shade.
• Lungwort: Flowers at the same time in pink and blue.
• Ferns: Their young fronds appear as the vetchling dies back.
• Hosta: Their leaves cover the empty space in summer.
• Wood anemone: White flowers at the same time, in partial shade.

Spring vetchling: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a deep, wide hole, because the taproot wants to grow straight down, and mix in compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and disturb the root ball as little as possible.
4. Leave 35–40 cm between plants.
5. Water thoroughly straight away, even if it is raining.
6. Spread a layer of leaf mould or fine bark around the base, keeping it clear of the shoots.

Care

Water

Water weekly in dry spells during the first year. After that rain is enough, except in long dry spells in spring.

Feeding

A spadeful of compost in spring. No more is needed: as a legume it makes its own nitrogen.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould in autumn keeps the soil loose and moist.

Spent flowers

You may leave them: the pods look nice and the plant sometimes self-seeds. Remove them if you do not want that.

Moving

Avoid it. The roots break easily and the plant needs years to recover.

Tip: Do not transplant it: it roots deeply and needs a few years to establish well. Put it under deciduous shrubs, in humus-rich soil.

Spring vetchling: when to prune it?

When: No pruning is needed; tidy away dead foliage during the summer or in autumn.

How:

• Cut yellowing or dried-up stems close to the ground in summer.
• Let the pods ripen if you want seed, or cut off the flowers if you do not want self-sown seedlings.
• In autumn or winter, remove dead leaves from around the base.
• Take care of the young shoots in spring: they appear early and are brittle.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

From July to September sow fresh seed in pots, 1–2 cm deep, and leave them outside over winter. Seed that has already dried should first be soaked for 24 hours. Seedlings flower after two to three years.

Division

Possible in September, but it often fails because of the deep roots. Do it only on older clumps, and carefully.

Spring vetchling: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgian winters.
• The leaves have already died back in summer; in winter you see only bare ground until the young shoots appear in February–March.
• In a pot (not recommended because of the deep roots): use a deep pot in a sheltered spot and wrap it in hessian.

Diseases and pests

• Rust: Orange to brown pustules on the underside of the leaves. Remove affected leaves, leave enough space and clear the foliage in autumn.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry summers. Water at the base and cut off affected stems.
• Aphids: On young shoots in spring. Ladybirds usually take care of them; otherwise rinse them off with water.
• Slugs: Young shoots are eaten bare in spring. Collect slugs in the evening.

Through the year

• March: First shoots and flowers. Plant. Give compost.
• April: Full flower. Plant.
• May: Last flowers. Watch for slugs.
• June: Pods ripen. Sow fresh seed if you want to propagate.
• July: Leaves turn yellow. Cut off dried stems.
• September: Plant or sow. Divide only if necessary.
• October: Plant. Apply leaf mould.
• December: Rest. The plant is not visible.

Edible and useful

Not edible. The pods and seeds of everlasting pea look like garden peas but are poisonous: eaten in quantity or over a long time they damage the nervous system. Do not eat any of it, not even as mangetout, and teach children the difference from the peas in the vegetable garden. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The species name vernus means ‘of spring’, after its early flowering.
• The flowers change from red-purple to blue-violet as they age.
• As a legume it lives with bacteria in its root nodules that fix nitrogen from the air.