Purple Vetch hails from southern Europe and North Africa and due to its utility in agriculture, it has spread to other regions. It serves as a cover crop and green manure, aiding in soil improvement and providing a natural method for weed and pest control. It’s also used in crop rotation, for hay and fodder, and as a honey plant, boasting a high biomass yield. It is recognized as one of the best green manuring species for rice fields in the USA and serves as a valuable break between cash crops for disease and weed management. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.