# field bindweed (*Convolvulus arvensis*) Field bindweed is a climbing plant with pretty white or pink flowers. It loves to twine around other plants and can grow in many places, making it a familiar sight in fields and gardens. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 35 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![field bindweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/00_2050_Ackerwinde_%28Convolvulus_arvensis%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:00_2050_Ackerwinde_%28Convolvulus_arvensis%29.jpg) ## Appearance The field bindweed has slender, twining stems and arrow-shaped green leaves. Its small, funnel-shaped flowers are typically white or pale pink, often with five faint stripes. It can be visually distinguished by its creeping, mat-forming growth. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Solanales - **Family:** Convolvulaceae - **Genus:** Convolvulus ## Interesting facts - A single field bindweed plant can produce hundreds of seeds in just one season! - It's a "morning glory" relative, with flowers that typically close by afternoon! - Its incredibly deep roots can stretch more than two meters underground! - The delicate bell-shaped flowers of bindweed only stay open for a single day! ## Special abilities - **Deep Root Diver:** Field bindweed can send roots over two meters deep to find water and nutrients, helping it survive drought. - **Twining Climber:** Field bindweed has flexible stems that coil around other plants to climb, reaching sunlight above its competitors. - **Super Seed Bank:** Field bindweed seeds can remain dormant in the soil for decades, allowing new plants to emerge over many years. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-100 cm - **Spread:** 100-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Eaten by:** bindweed leaf beetle (*Galeruca rufa*) — Larvae and adults feed on bindweed leaves. - **Eaten by:** bindweed plume moth (*Crocidosema plebejana*) — Larvae tunnel into stems and roots. ## Traits - [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low While field bindweed is not harmful, it's best to look and not touch wild plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify field bindweed? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is field bindweed? 10-100 cm ### How wide does field bindweed spread? 100-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on field bindweed? 1.5-2.5 cm ### When does field bindweed bloom? Summer ### Is field bindweed edible? No ### Is field bindweed toxic? Mild ### What is field bindweed's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Arden Park–East Boston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arden-park-east-boston-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Atchison Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atchison-village) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Benbow Lake State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/benbow-lake-state-recreation-area) — California, US · State Park - [Broadway Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-avenue-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Brooklyn Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooklyn-botanic-garden) — New York, US · Botanical Garden - [Capitol Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/capitol-park-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District [View all places to see field bindweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/field-bindweed) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Field Bindweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-bindweed)