Anthyllis spp.

kidney vetch

Europe, Mediterranean, North Africa, and western Asia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Overview

Anthyllis spp. is a genus of about twenty to twenty-five species of annual and perennial herbs and small shrubs in the pea family, Fabaceae, native to Europe, the Mediterranean region, North Africa, and western Asia. Members range from low mat-forming herbs a few inches high to rounded silvery shrubs 2-4 ft (60-120 cm) tall, with pinnate or simple leaves often covered in silky hairs. The pea-shaped flowers are packed into dense, rounded or paired heads, each bloom backed by an inflated, woolly calyx, and come in yellow, orange, red, pink, or cream depending on the species. A. vulneraria, kidney vetch, is a variable grassland and coastal herb with yellow to red flowers, while A. barba-jovis, Jupiter beard, is a silver-leaved Mediterranean shrub. Flowering occurs mainly in late spring and summer, followed by small pods enclosed in the persistent calyx. Like other legumes, the genus fixes nitrogen through root nodules and grows on poor, dry, often lime-rich soils. Anthyllis spp. tolerates drought and exposure but is short-lived in the herbaceous species and grows poorly on wet, heavy ground.

Native Range

Anthyllis spp. is native to Europe, the Mediterranean basin, North Africa, and western Asia. A. vulneraria ranges widely across Europe into western Asia and North Africa, while the shrubby species are concentrated around the Mediterranean on dry, sunny slopes and coasts.

Suggested Uses

Anthyllis spp. is grown in rock gardens, gravel gardens, dry banks, coastal plantings, and wildflower meadows, and A. vulneraria is used in grassland restoration and as a larval food plant for small blue butterflies. The flowers draw bees and other pollinators. The silvery shrubby species suit hot, dry Mediterranean-style borders.

How to Identify

Recognise Anthyllis spp. by its dense, rounded heads of small pea flowers, each set in a conspicuously inflated, woolly calyx, above pinnate or simple, often silky-hairy leaves. A. vulneraria forms low grassland clumps with yellow to red flower heads paired above a ruff of leafy bracts, while shrubby species such as A. barba-jovis have silvery foliage. The swollen hairy calyx and clustered flower heads separate the genus from clovers and trefoils.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2" - 4'

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering occurs mainly in late spring and summer (roughly May-August in the Northern Hemisphere), when the rounded heads of yellow, red, pink, or cream pea flowers open over several weeks. In warm climates the shrubby species can flower earlier. Small one- to few-seeded pods follow, held within the persistent inflated calyx.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

yellow, red, pink, or cream

Foliage Description

green to silver

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam chalk rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Across the genus, Anthyllis spp. grows in full sun on light, sharply drained, low-fertility soils, including sandy, stony, and lime-rich ground, and tolerates drought, heat, and coastal exposure once established. Root nodules fix nitrogen, so the genus needs no feeding and grows poorly with rich soil or heavy watering. The herbaceous species are often short-lived and renew from self-sown seed, while the shrubby species are longer lasting but are damaged by winter wet and root disturbance. Sharp drainage and lean soil matter more than warmth for the hardy species, though the Mediterranean shrubs need frost protection in cool areas. Plants establish quickly from seed sown in spring.

Pruning

The shrubby species are lightly trimmed after flowering to keep a compact, rounded shape, cutting into young growth rather than old bare wood, which is slow to reshoot. Herbaceous species need no pruning beyond removing spent flower heads, which can be left to self-seed. Frost-damaged shoots are cut back in spring.