Vicia hirsuta aka Tiny Vetch

Vicia hirsuta is a climbing annual in the pea family, Fabaceae. Its common names include hairy tare and common tare. Some sources also call it hairy vetch. Its native range spans Macaronesia, temperate Eurasia, and parts of Africa. In Africa, it extends from the north to Tanzania. It is native to Britain and Ireland. It grows in grassland, scrub, and along woodland edges. It also occurs on high lava plains in East Africa.

Plants reach about 1.6 feet (0.5 m) in height. Their stems can reach 3 feet (0.9 m) long. These stems trail across the ground or climb through nearby plants. The plant completes its life cycle within one year. Flowers appear from May to August. Bees, moths, and butterflies visit them for pollen or nectar. Each flower has both male and female organs. Plants are self-fertile and can also pollinate themselves. Seeds ripen from July to September, within pods.

Grow hairy tare in soil that drains well but stays moist. It accepts sandy soil, loam, and clay. It grows in sun when moisture lasts through the growing season. Choose partial shade where the soil may dry out. Sources list tolerance of mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soils. Yet habitat accounts note that it tends to avoid acid ground. Plants For A Future lists USDA hardiness zones 4–9. Sow seed where it will grow, in spring or autumn. Soak it in warm water for 24 hours first.

Root bacteria form nodules that help the plant obtain nitrogen. Nearby plants may gain some of this nitrogen too. Leave roots in the soil when clearing away dead stems. Their decay returns nitrogen to the ground. Flowers feed insects, while the plant shelters several useful predators. These include lacewings, parasitic wasps, beetles, and spiders. It can help cover damaged or overused ground. However, it also grows as a crop weed in many countries.

People sometimes grow or gather the seeds for food. Cooked seeds serve as a substitute for lentils. Cooked leaves and stems also have recorded food uses. These uses do not mean raw seeds are safe. Seeds contain trypsin inhibitors and the toxic compound canavanine. Soaking and cooking reduce trypsin inhibitors, but the evidence gives no assurance about canavanine. No medicinal use is recorded in the supplied sources.