crown vetch

crown vetch

noun

Definition of CROWN VETCH

: a Eurasian herb (Coronilla varia) of the legume family that is naturalized in the eastern United States and has umbels of pink-and-white flowers and sharp-angled pods

First Known Use of CROWN VETCH

circa 1900

Rhymes with CROWN VETCH

backstretch, homestretch, outstretch

crown vetch

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Vigorous trailing legume (Coronilla varia), native to the Mediterranean but widely grown in temperate areas as a ground cover. It has fernlike leaves and clusters of white to pink flowers. The sturdy roots are useful in binding the soil of steep slopes and roadside embankments. As a legume, crown vetch draws nitrogen from the air, trapping it in the roots, and thus improves soil fertility. It dies back to the crown each fall in cold areas, resuming growth in spring. Cutting the plant back in the fall or early spring encourages quick growth.