Convolvulus arvensis
L.
Convolvulaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Field Bindweed
General Information
Convolvulus arvensis is a Perennial Climber up to 2.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Throughout the temperate regions of both Hemishperes, including Britain.
Habitat
Hedgerows, fields, waste places, fences etc[
7- Title
- Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chiej. R.
- Publisher
- MacDonald
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-356-10541-5
- Description
- Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
,
100- Title
- Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polunin. O.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1969
- ISBN
- 0192176218
- Description
- An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
], it can be a troublesome weed of agriculture.
Properties
Edibility Rating | |
Medicinal Rating | |
Habit | Perennial Climber |
Height | 2.00 m |
Pollinators | Bees, Flies, Self |
Self-fertile | Yes |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a lighter basic soil[
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
] of low to medium fertility[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Bindweed is a very deep-rooting plant with a vigorous root system that extends to a considerable distance and is very hard to eradicate from the soil. Even a small piece of the root will grow into a new plant if it is left in the ground. Once established this plant soon becomes a pernicious weed[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
]. It is a climbing plant that supports itself by twining around any support it can find and can soon swamp and strangle other plants[
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
].
The flowers close at night and also during rainy weather[
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
]. Although visited by numerous insects, the flowers seldom set fertile seed[
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
]. On sunny days the flowers diffuse a scent of heliotrope[
245- Title
- Scented Flora of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Genders. R.
- Publisher
- Robert Hale. London.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
- 0-7090-5440-8
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
].
The plant harbours tobacco mosaic virus of the Solanaceae[
13- Title
- Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Triska. Dr.
- Publisher
- Hamlyn
- Year
- 1975
- ISBN
- 0-600-33545-3
- Description
- Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
] and so should not be grown near potatoes, tomatoes and other members of that family.
Edible Uses
The plant has been used as a flavouring in a liqueur called 'Noyeau'[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
]. No details are given as to which part of the plant is used[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Medicinal
The root, and also a resin made from the root, is cholagogue, diuretic, laxative and strongly purgative[
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
, 7. 9. 13,
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
]. The dried root contains 4.9% resin[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
]. The juice of the root is used in the treatment of fevers[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].
A tea made from the flowers is laxative and is also used in the treatment of fevers and wounds[
222- Title
- A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Foster. S. & Duke. J. A.
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-395-46722-5
- Description
- A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
].
A cold tea made from the leaves is laxative and is also used as a wash for spider bites or taken internally to reduce excessive menstrual flow[
222- Title
- A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Foster. S. & Duke. J. A.
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-395-46722-5
- Description
- A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
,
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
Other Uses
The stem is used as a twine for tying up plants etc[
6- Title
- Plants with a Purpose.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Mabey. R.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
- 0-00-635555-2
- Description
- Details on some of the useful wild plants of Britain. Poor on pictures but otherwise very good.
,
99- Title
- Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Turner. N. J.
- Publisher
- British Columbia Provincial Museum
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
- 0-7718-8117-7
- Description
- Excellent and readable guide.
]. It is fairly flexible and strong but not long-lasting.
A green dye is obtained from the whole plant[
168- Title
- Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grae. I.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Publishing Co. New York.
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-02-544950-8
- Description
- A very good and readable book on dyeing.
].
Propagation
Seed - best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe, it germinates in the autumn[
164- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bird. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
]. This species can become a real pest in the garden so it is unwise to encourage it.
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