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Vicia hirsuta - (L.)Gray.

Common Name Hairy Tare, Tiny vetch
Family Fabaceae or Leguminosae
USDA hardiness 4-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Grassy places. A common weed of cultivation, avoiding acid soils[17].
Range Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa and W. Asia.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Vicia hirsuta Hairy Tare, Tiny vetch


commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fabelfroh
Vicia hirsuta Hairy Tare, Tiny vetch
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vicia_hirsuta1.JPG

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Vicia hirsuta is a ANNUAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Cracca hirsuta. Cracca minor. Endiusa hirsuta. Ervum hirsutum

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Seed
Edible Uses:

Seed - cooked[2, 105, 177]. Used like lentils[2], the seed can be eaten as a staple food[178]. Leaves and stems - cooked[105, 177, 178]. Used as a vegetable[272]

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

General insect (especially bees) nectar plant. Shelter plant for beneficial insects including lacewings, parasitic Wasps, beetles and spiders. Pioneer Species– helps reestablish overused or damaged land. Nitrogen Fixing Plant – this plant creates its own nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with microorganisms (bacteria) in its roots. Dynamic Accumulator Species – Potassium, Phosphorus, Nitrogen.

Special Uses

Dynamic accumulator  Food Forest  Nitrogen Fixer

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any well-drained soil in a sunny position if the soil is reliably moist throughout the growing season, otherwise it is best grown in semi-shade[200]. Occasionally cultivated for its edible seed which is used as a lentil substitute[2]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in situ in spring or autumn.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Hairy vetch

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Afghanistan, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq (n. (rare)), Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Checheno-Ingushetia, Dagestan, Karacaevo-Cerkesskaja Respublika, Krasnodar, North Ossetia, Stavropol), Russian Federation (Altay, Buryatia, Chelyabinsk, Hakasija, Respublika, Irkutsk, Kemerovskaja oblast, Krasnoyarsk, Kurganskaja oblast, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Sverdlovsk, Tomsk, Tyumen, Tyva, Respublika, Yakutia-Sakha), Turkmenistan, China, Korea, Japan (Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku), Taiwan TROPICAL ASIA: Bhutan, India (northwest), Nepal, Pakistan (north) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Russian Federation (Baškortostan, Respublika, Cuvašskaja Respublika, Komi, Marij Èl, Respublika, Mordovija, Respublika, Tatarstan, Udmurtia, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kalužskaja oblast, Kirov, Kostroma, Kursk, Leningradskaja oblast, Lipeckaja oblast, Moscow, Murmansk, Novgorod, Orel, Orenburg, Penza, Perm, Komi-Permyak, Pskovskaja oblast, Rostov, Ryazan, Saratov, Smolensk, Tambov, Tula, Ulyanovsk, Vladimir, Volgogradskaja oblast, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl), Ukraine (incl. Krym), Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania, Spain, France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Spain (Canarias), Portugal (Madeira Islands), Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo (east), Rwanda, Angola (southwest)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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12

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

(L.)Gray.

Botanical References

17200

Links / References

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