# large bindweed (*Calystegia silvatica*)

Large bindweed is a climbing plant with beautiful white or pink flowers. It loves to grow in sunny places and can wrap around other plants, making it look very pretty in gardens.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![large bindweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Calystegia_silvatica.jpg&width=800)

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Aroche assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calystegia_silvatica.jpg)

## Appearance

The large bindweed has striking, pure white, trumpet-shaped flowers that open wide in sunlight. Its arrow- or heart-shaped leaves grow on twining stems that rapidly climb upwards, often smothering other plants. It is notably larger than common field bindweed.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Solanales
- **Family:** Convolvulaceae
- **Genus:** Calystegia

## Interesting facts

- It's sometimes called 'Granny Pop-out-of-Bed' because its flowers seem to jump open in the morning!
- Its strong roots can burrow over 3 meters deep, making it tough to remove from gardens!
- One single plant can produce up to 2,000 seeds in a season, ensuring new plants pop up everywhere!
- The elegant white flowers open to greet the morning sun and close up tightly as dusk approaches.

## Special abilities

- **Root Resilience:** Large bindweed has deep, extensive root systems that store energy, allowing it to regrow vigorously even after being cut back.
- **Climbing Power:** Large bindweed can twine its stems around any nearby support, using other plants or structures to reach sunlight high above.
- **Rapid Spreader:** Large bindweed can quickly produce numerous seeds and spread via underground runners, colonizing new areas with impressive speed.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 20-300 cm
- **Flower Size:** 4-7 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to early fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits its large white flowers for nectar.
- **Eaten by:** bindweed moth (*Tyta luctuosa*) — Its caterpillars feed specifically on bindweed leaves.
- **Pollinates:** hummingbird hawkmoth (*Macroglossum stellatarum*) — Hovers to drink nectar from the deep trumpet flowers.

## 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.
- [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.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Don't eat any part of the plant, and be careful not to get tangled in its vines.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify large 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 large bindweed?

20-300 cm

### How big are the flowers on large bindweed?

4-7 cm

### When does large bindweed bloom?

Summer to early fall

### Is large bindweed edible?

No

### Is large bindweed toxic?

Mild

### What is large bindweed's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is large bindweed pollinated?

Insect

## 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*)

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Source: [Large Bindweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/large-bindweed)