Woolly pod vetch

Vicia villosa subsp. dasycarpa

Heat-tolerant subspecies of hairy vetch suited to Mediterranean and Australian climates. Same nitrogen-fixing benefits with better summer survival.

Hardiness ratings

Woolly pod vetch hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 5–10 −28.9 °C to 4.4 °C Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating
RHS hardiness rating H7 down to −20 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 5–9 −23 °C and warmer Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 1–6 −15 °C to 15 °C Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating

As a tender annual, Woolly pod vetch doesn't overwinter — the zone range shows where the growing season supports it. See the RHS rating for its actual cold tolerance.

Growing notes

  • More heat-tolerant than the parent species (V. villosa) — better suited to dry-summer climates
  • Excellent winter cover crop in southern Australia and California
  • Crimp-roll at flowering for in-place mulch in no-till systems

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Woolly pod vetch against your zones

Reference

Woolly pod vetch on Wikipedia