It is native to Africa, Asia and Europe and is commonly used throughout the United States and Canada for erosion control, roadside planting and soil rehabilitation.

Crownvetch is a tough, aggressive spreading plant that will crowd out its neighbors in a show garden but is well suited to a sunny bank, where it will grow for decades with little to no fertilizing, mowing, or weeding since the thick foliage prevents weeds from growing amid it.

[3] Its deep, tenacious, complex root system[4] and thick, fern-like leaves provide excellent erosion control where it is used as a ground cover.

In 1989 Per Lassen proposed moving it to the genus Securigera,[5] which had been created by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1805.

On the other hand Securigera varia is listed as the accepted name in resources such as Flora of the Southeastern United States,[9] World Plants,[10] and the New Zealand Organisms Register.