Winter nitrogen
Keeps living roots and biological nitrogen fixation working in cool-season windows.
Hairy Vetch Orium
Vicia villosaA Spain-produced annual legume with medium cold tolerance for winter forage, green manure and nitrogen-building cover in temperate and subtropical rotations.
Technical variety profile
Produced in Spain, Orium combines a 7–8 t DM/ha guide with 50–80 kg/ha seeding and a medium cold-tolerance rating.
Production originSpain
Cold toleranceMedium
Dry matter7–8 t/ha
Seeding rate50–80 kg/ha
Planting depth1–2 cm
Rainfall325–600 mm
Best fit
Where Hairy Vetch Orium belongs
Autumn and winter cover-crop windowsGreen manure before spring cropsHay, silage or managed grazingCool-season systems with moderate cold exposure
#cool-season#nitrogen#forage#medium-cold-tolerance#spain
Why it performs
Three reasons to shortlist it
Forage flexibility
Fine stems support hay, silage and managed grazing.
Cool-season fit
Medium cold tolerance supports winter use where extreme cold is not the primary constraint.
Technical data
Comparable specifications
Production originSpainTechnical reference
Cold toleranceMediumTechnical reference
Dry matter7–8 t/haTechnical reference
Seeding rate50–80 kg/haTechnical reference
Planting depth1–2 cmTechnical reference
Rainfall325–600 mmTechnical reference
Production originSpainTechnical reference
Growth habitClimbing or semi-erect, to 1 mTechnical reference
Drought toleranceVery highTechnical reference
Salinity toleranceMediumTechnical reference
Flooding toleranceLowTechnical reference
UsesForage, green manure, coverTechnical reference
Harvest formsHay, silage, grazingTechnical reference
Primary product documents
Download the technical sheet
Choose the language for a concise guide to key benefits, establishment, management, specifications and limitations.
View guides and supporting researchEstablishment
Build the stand correctly
- 01Plant in autumn into a clean, firm seedbed.
- 02Use 50–80 kg/ha and place seed 1–2 cm deep.
- 03Select the correct Rhizobium inoculant where nodulation is not assured.
Management
Turn potential into performance
- Plan spring termination or harvest before the following crop.
- Manage climbing growth when paired with a companion grass.
- Use local animal-health guidance for grazing timing and ration balance.
Limitations & safety
Know where it does not fit
- Avoid waterlogged fields.
- Medium cold tolerance makes fit dependent on winter severity, planting date and companion crop.
- The final site should carry regional feed-use guidance despite the supplier sheet’s simple ‘no toxicity’ statement.
Technical resourcesResearch report · 2025 Technical guide · 2015 View the complete Research Library
Guides and supporting research
Interim Technical Report on the Vetch Trial
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Download PDFHairy Vetch Plant Guide
USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program
Download from publisherField fit matters
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