An attractive and sturdy perennial plant, it grows 1 ft (30 cm) to 1.5 ft (46 cm) tall with 8 to 10 pairs of erect or ascending, densely hairy, subcanescent to sericeous leaves. The uppermost leaves may have short tendrils. The elliptic to linear-lanceolate leaves measure 5 to 40 mm in length with entire, semi-hastate stipules. The attractive inflorescence comprises a raceme with 3 to 18 closely arranged flowers with long stalks. The flowers are large, 17 to 25 mm long, lilac, or violet-blue with a 6 to 13 mm long, purple, scarcely gibbous calyx. The plant produces a villous, oblong fruit, 26–35 mm long and 7–11 mm wide, with ciliate sutures. The fruit contains several seeds.^[3]

Vicia canescens is endemic to the mountains of Mount-Lebanon.^[3]