Kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria)
Care, watering, light and tips for Kidney vetch on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Fabaceae
- Difficulty: Easy to care for
- Watering: every 5 days
- Light: Full sun
- Temperature: 5–35 °C
About Kidney vetch
Anthyllis vulneraria, commonly known as kidney vetch or woundwort, is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Fabaceae family, valued for its striking yellow or orange flowers clustered in dense heads. Its leaves are pinnate and soft, forming basal rosettes. It's an excellent choice for rock gardens, path edges, or naturalized meadows, where its prolonged blooming period adds a splash of color and attracts pollinators.
Native range
Europe and Western Asia
Care tips
It thrives in full sun for optimal flowering. This plant is very drought-tolerant once established, so watering should be moderate, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings; overwatering is its main enemy. It adapts well to poor, calcareous, and well-drained soils, including sandy or rocky types. Avoid heavy or clayey soils that retain too much moisture, as this can lead to root rot.
How to save a dying Kidney vetch
- Warning signs
- Wilting or yellowing leaves, sparse or absent flowering, weak growth.
- First aid
- Ensure good drainage, moderate watering if substrate is dry, sunny location.
- What kills it
- Excess moisture and shade, leading to root rot and fungal diseases.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if roots are not completely rotted and conditions are corrected.