This was a well known weed of old England and would strangle the farmer's barley and oat crops. The "tare" refers to the seeds, the pod of which is hairy as can be seen in RHS photo. The flowers themselves are only 3 to 5 mm in diameter so the middle photo is deceptive.

Vicia hirsuta is very common in England, Wales, Ireland and southern Scotland but less often seen in the mountainous north and northwest of Scotland

LHS: Ellesmere Port 18th May 2005 Middle and RHS: Helsby, Cheshire 28th June 2008

Added on 29th June 2008, updated 22nd February 2012