Practical
Plants

Vicia tetrasperma

Smooth Tare

an annual member of the Vicia genus in the family Leguminosae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Vicia
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Self

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young leaves and shoots - cooked as a vegetable[4][1][3]. A coffee substitute[3]. The part used is not specified, it is almost certainly the roasted seed[K].

Product or use
Coffee
Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa and W. Asia.
Habitat
Grassy places, avoiding acid soils[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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[5]. Dislikes shade according to another report. 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[5]. 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

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  3. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  4. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

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