Big Deervetch Seeds (Hosackia crassifolia)

A robust, high value wildlife plant for forest edges, hedgerows, and natural areas. One of the larger, and more sprawling native legumes for the Pacific Northwest, big deer vetch (as the common name suggests), is a plant with significant wildlife value. This legume is browsed by deer, elk and other animals (both the foliage and large, pea-like seed pods). Additionally, its flowers are highly attractive to bumble bees, especially coastal/forest-edge bumble bees such as the Sitka bumble bee (Bombus sitkensis), the Vancouver Island bumble bee (Bombus vancouverensis), and the orange-rumped bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus). If that wasn’t enough, it is also a likely host plant for various butterfly caterpillars, including silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius), Melissa blue (Plebejus melissa), Acmon blue (Plebejus acmon), and possibly MANY others.  This 1-4 feet, twining, creeping perennial with its yellow to maroon flowers is a prime choice for cool,