Bird Vetch
Vicia cracca
Bird vetch is arguably the most well known invasive plant in the Interior. It can be found throughout the Fairbanks area along roads and in disturbed areas. Vetch was originally introduced to Alaska as an experimental crop for the University. Since then it has escaped and spread aggressively throughout the Fairbanks area.
Identification
Bird vetch is a climbing perennial shrub with grasping tendrils at the end of each cluster of 8-10 leaflets. It can also be identified by its violet to blue flower clusters.
Typically, it tends to be located in disturbed environments such as grassy fields, along roadsides and walkways, construction areas, or clinging to structures and fences.
Invasiveness
Bird vetch has the ability to overtake native vegetation and spread rapidly through seed and root dispersal. Once established, vetch can easily outpace native shrubs and trees and smother them. Vehicles and equipment can spread seeds and plant fragments dozens to hundreds of miles and start new infestations. Fortunately, the seed life of this species of vetch is relatively short (up to 5 years), so eradication of contained patches is possible.
Eradication
There is currently no plan to eradicate Bird vetch on a wide scale in Fairbanks. There are efforts to control and even eradicate isolated patches in rural communities and on some private lands.
Vetch, while being resilient and aggressive, can be controlled over the course of a few years if done correctly. There are a handful of approaches and end goals depending on the circumstances. In any situation, Vetch needs to be knocked back before it can go to seed midway through its growing season. If this doesn’t occur then the problem automatically has 4-5 year duration due to its seed lifespan.
If vetch can be successfully controlled for that duration then eventual eradication of a specific patch/population is possible, generally with the use of a systemic herbicide that targets the roots.