Coronilla Varia

Crown vetch, now often known as Securigera varia, is a vigorous European perennial with arching stems, divided blue-green leaves and rounded heads of pink and white pea flowers throughout summer. Deep roots and nitrogen-fixing nodules enable it to thrive on poor, dry banks, where it has often been used for erosion control. That same resilience can make it invasive outside its native range, as creeping rhizomes form broad colonies and seed is readily spread. In gardens it is best confined to difficult slopes or large informal areas where its long flowering season can be enjoyed responsibly.