If you would like to support this site, please consider Donating.
Useful Temperate Plants

Fallopia convolvulus

(L.) Á.Löve

Polygonaceae

+ Synonyms

Bilderdykia convolvulus (L.) Dumort.

Fagopyrum carinatum Moench

Fagopyrum convolvulus (L.) Gross

Fagopyrum volubile Gilib.

Helxine convolvulus (L.) Raf.

Polygonum convolvulaceum Lam.

Polygonum convolvuliforme St.-Lag.

Polygonum convolvulus L.

Polygonum infestum Salisb.

Polygonum striatum Dulac

Reynoutria convolvulus (L.) Shinners

Tiniaria convolvulus (L.) Webb & Moq.

Common Name: Black Bindweed

No Image.

General Information

Fallopia convolvulus is an annual, climbing plant with a slender stem that branches freely at the base. The stems scramble over the ground, twining into the surrounding vegetation for support. Stems can be up to 250cm long[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
308
Title
Flora Zambesiaca
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
,
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Originally native to tenperate Eurasia and north Africa, the plant has spread as a weed of cultivated crops through most of the temperate zone and into parts of the tropics, especially at higher elevations and in cooler valleys. The plant can occur as a weed in most crops, though it is most troublesome in cereals. It may also cause yield losses in potatoes, sugarbeet and vegetables, as well as in vineyards and orchards. It is a weed of 25 crops in 41 countries and in 20 crops of these countries it is ranked as a serious weed.[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
]..

Known Hazards

Although no specific mention has been made for this species, there have been reports that some members of this genus can cause photosensitivity in susceptible people.
Many species also contain oxalic acid (the distinctive lemony flavour of sorrel) - whilst not toxic this substance can bind up other minerals making them unavailable to the body and leading to mineral deficiency. Having said that, a number of common foods such as sorrel and rhubarb contain oxalic acid and the leaves of most members of this genus are nutritious and beneficial to eat in moderate quantities. Cooking the leaves will reduce their content of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].

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.
,
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa and temperate Asia.

Habitat

Most commonly found on arable land, but it also grows in gardens, on waste ground, in thickets, on roadsides, along fences, and occasionally in pastures and on river banks[
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.
,
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *  *
HabitAnnual Climber
Height1.20 m
PollinatorsInsects, Self
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Succeeds in a wide range of soil types, but prefers a moisture retentive not too fertile soil in sun or part shade[
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.
,
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
]. The plant is often more abundant on clay soils[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[
233
Title
Perennial Garden Plants
Publication
 
Author
Thomas. G. S.
Publisher
J. M. Dent & Sons, London.
Year
1990
ISBN
0 460 86048 8
Description
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
].
This species is closely related to Fallopia dumetorum (L.) Holub and Fallopia dentatoalata (F. Schmidt) Holub[
287
Title
Flora of Pakistan
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.efloras.org
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
As of 2006, there is not much information on habitats available, but it is being developed and promises to be an excellent resource.
].

Edible Uses

Seed - ground into a powder and used as a gruel or mixed with cereals[
207
Title
The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers.
Publication
 
Author
Coffey. T.
Publisher
Facts on File.
Year
1993
ISBN
0-8160-2624-6
Description
A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.
]. The seed coat should be removed before use, this has caused mechanical injury to the digestive systems of animals who have eaten the 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.
]. The seed is rather small and fiddly to utilize.
Although comparatively low in protein, oil and fibre content, the seeds are a promising nutritious food because their amino acid composition is similar to that of cultivated buckwheat. Their high lysine content make them a reasonable supplement to cereals[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - the plant needs litle encouragement, though can be sown in spring in situ. Seed in the soil can retain viability for more than 20 years[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Fallopia+convolvulus>

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.