Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, east to the Rocky Mountains, also in eastern North America

Habitat: Roadsides and waste places at low elevations.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies

Glabrous, herbaceous perennial from rhizomes, the stem 6-20 dm. long, broadly winged and climbing.

Leaves pinnate, leaflets only 2, lanceolate to lance-elliptic, 5-12 cm. long; tendrils well-developed; stipules linear-lanceolate, 2-lobed, 1-3 cm. long.

Inflorescence of racemes on long peduncles arising from the leaf axils; flowers 4-9, about 15 mm. long, red; calyx 7-9 mm. long, the 5 teeth lanceolate, shorter than the tube; corolla pea-like, banner broadly obcordate, the claw shorter than blade; wings and keel with a claw about half the length of the blade

Pod 4-6 cm. long and 4-6 mm. broad.