Common Vetch Coloring Pages

A vine that covers open fields in spring

Bush vetch is a vine that grows in corners of schoolyards, on riverbanks, and in empty lots. It has small reddish-purple flowers from March to June.
Instead of standing straight up, it spreads by twining around nearby plants. So when it grows in groups, the whole area becomes a thicket of Bush vetch.
It is in the bean family, the same family as pea pods, which means green peas. If you look closely, the flowers, leaves, and pods look just like miniature green peas!

The tips of the leaves dent into the shape of a "yahazu" arrow notch

This plant's official name is actually Yahazu-endo (Arrow-notch Pea).
An arrow notch is the V-shaped dent at the end of an arrow used to hook onto the bowstring.
Take a close look at the leaves. Long, tiny leaves line up facing each other, but can you see how the tip of every single leaf dips into a V-shape instead of being pointed? It looks just like an arrow notch, so that's how it got its name.
We drew a V-shape at the tip of all the tiny leaves on the Bush vetch coloring page too, so be sure to check it out!

The tips of the leaves curl up and hook onto things

Take a look at the very tip of the leaves lined up like feathers. Instead of a leaf, you will find a thin tendril there.
When this tendril touches nearby grass or branches, it curls and wraps around them to hold itself up. Since it cannot stand on its own, it uses a trick to climb up other plants.
Some tendrils even split into three parts. In the coloring page, you can see different ways they curl, like tight curls, loose single loops, and split ends.

The "crow" in its Japanese name comes from the color of its seed pod

So why is it called "crow"? The answer is the color of the pod.
The bean pod is green at first. But when it gets ripe, it turns pitch black like a crow. People say that's how it got the name Bush vetch.
The names of its friends are fun too! There is a smaller plant called Vicia tetrasperma. Its name means "sparrow" because it is smaller than a crow.
There is also a plant right in between them in size called Vicia lathyroides. Its name comes from taking "Ca" from crow and "Su" from sparrow, plus "Ma" for between! Isn't that a fun way to name things?

The "Peep-Peep Pod" that Turns into a Whistle

Bush vetch has another name: peep-peep pod! That is because the pod becomes a whistle.
Here is how to make one. Pick a ripe black pod, split open the back side, and take out all the seeds inside. Then, put the tip in your mouth and blow to make a loud peep! sound.
The tricks to making a good sound are to remove all the seeds completely and not crush the pod. In some places, people also call it see-bee-bee. Children have loved playing with it for a long time!

Hiring Ants as Bodyguards

Finally, here is one amazing story! If you look closely at the base of the flower, you will find a small black dot. This is called an extrafloral nectary, and it is a spot that gives out nectar even though it is not a flower.
Why do you think it has something like that? It is to call ants over.
The ants that come for the nectar will chase away bugs that come to eat the leaves while they are there. In other words, Bush vetch uses nectar as a salary to hire ants as bodyguards.
When you see this plant in spring, you will almost always see ants walking on it. They are not just passing by; they are coming to do their job!

Try not to cover the little V-shape on the leaves

The best part of this coloring page is the little V-shape at the tip of each leaf. That's the notch shape that gives it its name!
There are lots of tiny leaves, so you might want to color them quickly. But try to color each leaf one by one, following the V-shape at the tip. If you cover the tip, it will look like just a regular long leaf.
Use a bright yellow-green. The leaves of Bush vetch are soft and bright green!

Keep the tendrils thin by leaving the lines clear

The curly tendrils are the most fun part of this picture! We recommend leaving them white without coloring, or using a very light green.
Tendrils are very thin, so if you color them too dark, the lines will disappear and look like plain scribbles. Keeping them light makes them look fluffy and light, like they are floating in the air!

The flowers are reddish-purple. Change the shade for the top and bottom

The flowers are reddish-purple. They look like butterflies! You can see a large petal standing at the top and a boat-like petal sticking out at the bottom.
If you color the top petal dark and the bottom boat part light, it will look 3D! Don't forget to color the green part at the base of the flower green, too.

Draw the pods using green and black together

The long, thin bean pods are green when they are young, and turn jet-black when they get ripe.
So, try coloring one pod green and another pod black! Then you can use your picture to explain why people call them "black pods like a crow."
When you color it black, try mixing in dark purple or dark brown instead of plain black. It will make it look shiny!

Once you color it, let's go make a whistle!

When you finish coloring, take your picture outside! Look around riverbanks or empty lots from March to June.
When you find one, check the V-shape at the leaf tip first. If it has that, it's Bush vetch!
And if you find a ripe black pod, open up the back, take out the seeds, and try making a whistle! If it makes a high peep sound, you did great! Also look for the black dots at the base of the flowers, and the ants visiting them, too!

Bush vetch, Smooth tare, and Slender tare

Bush vetch has some very similar friends, and the way they are named is super interesting!
The biggest oneBush vetchWhen the pods ripen, they turn black like a crow, so that is how it got its name.
Much smaller onesBush vetch. It is smaller than a crow, so it is named after a sparrow!
And for the ones that are right in the middle in size,Bush vetch" is how it got its name.Bush vetch" illustrations and "Su"Bush vetch"Interval", so it is Kasuma.
People in the past picked bird names in order of their size. Then, they called the leftover one in the middle "Ma" for middle. It is a really clever name, because you can tell how the three of them relate just from their names!

Its official name is "Bush vetch."

Actually,Bush vetch is a common nameSo, its official Japanese name as a plant isBush vetchWhat is it?
Bush vetchmeans the V-shaped notch at the end of an arrow used for hooking the bowstring. The tips of the tiny leaves are shaped just like that!
A common name based on how it looks (the color of the pod), and an official name based on the shape of its leaves.It is named in two different ways depending on where you look at the same plantIt's so fun that

A plant that hires ants as bodyguards

At the base of the flowerTiny black dotsisExtrafloral nectariesis an organ called that.It gives out nectar even though it is not a flowerThat is a very unique shape, isn't it?
The ants gathering here chase away leaf-eating bugs in return for sweet nectar. For the plant,Ants are bodyguards, and for ants,You can get free nectar. It's a relationship where both help each other out.
If you find Bush vetch in a spring meadow, look to see if ants are walking on it. You will usually find a few!

Young shoots and pods are edible

Bush vetch is actuallyEdible wild grassThat makes sense! It's in the same family as the pea, so of course it looks like one.
Are you going to eat it?Young sprout tips in early springYaSoft young leaves,A young, green seed pod. People have eaten it boiled, as tempura, or cooked with rice.
However, roadside plants might have car exhaust or sprays on them.Always ask a grown-up before you eat it, pick one from a clean spot!