Field bindweed

Scientific name: Convolvulus arvensis

A creeping and climbing plant of cultivated ground, Field Bindweed can become a pest in places as it stops other plants from growing. It has creamy, sometimes striped, large flowers, and arrow-shaped leaves.

Species information

Statistics

Height: up to 2m

Conservation status

Common.

When to see

June to September

About

Creeping through waste and cultivated ground, the white or pink-striped flowers of Field Bindweed are a familiar sight for many of us. Twisting around other plants to assist its progress, this aggressive plant is often considered to be a weed in gardens. It flowers between June and September.

How to identify

Field Bindweed is a trailing or creeping plant, occasionally climbing up to 2m. Its funnel-shaped flowers may be pink, white, or pink-and-white striped, and are sweet-scented, unlike the larger kinds of bindweed. Its leaves are grey-green and arrow-shaped.

Distribution

Widespread, but scarcer in Scotland.

Habitats

Did you know?

Field bindweed can creep and trail over cereal crops, often hindering their growth and harvest.

How people can help

Our gardens are a vital resource for wildlife, providing corridors of green space between open countryside, allowing species to move about. In fact, the UK's gardens provide more space for nature than all the National Nature Reserves put together. So why not try leaving wilder areas in your garden, such as patches of buttercups in your lawn or nettles near your compost heap, to see who comes to visit?