Is this plant invasive?

Yes, it is often considered a troublesome weed in gardens and agricultural fields.

How do I get rid of it?

Pull it by the roots before it sets seed to prevent future germination.

Plant guide

Black bindweed.

Fallopia convolvulus

Pronounced fal-LO-pee-uh kon-VOL-vyoo-lus

Also known as Black Bindweed, Black Knot, Black-bindweed, Climbing Knotweed, Climbing-buckwheat, Cornbind, Eurasian black bindweed

Black-bindweed — Photo by Ondřej Křivan (CC BY) via iNaturalist

This hardy annual vine is often considered a persistent weed in gardens and agricultural fields. It twines around other plants for support as it grows quickly during the warmer months. You will find it produces small, inconspicuous flowers that eventually turn into dark, triangular seeds.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Annual vine
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 3 to 7 days
Mature size: 1 to 3 meters
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 3 to 9
Bloom time: Mid summer to early autumn

Care

This plant thrives in full sun and prefers well drained soil. Keep an eye on it to prevent it from outcompeting your desired garden plants. Remove it before it sets seed to manage its spread.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Feeding: This plant does not require supplemental fertilizer.
Pruning: Trim back stems regularly if you need to control its spread.
Repotting: As an annual, this plant completes its life cycle in one season.
Soil: Well drained loamy soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -20 to 35°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%

Safety

People: It is generally considered non toxic to humans.
Children: The small black seeds could pose a minor choking hazard if ingested by small children.
Contact allergens: The stems can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: The pollen may trigger mild reactions in those with hay fever.
Edibility: While the seeds are technically edible, they are often considered a weed and may be contaminated by agricultural chemicals.

How to identify it

Twining stems that climb
Arrow shaped green leaves
Small greenish white flowers
Dark triangular shaped seeds

Height: 0.2 to 1m
Spread: 0.1 to 0.5m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: white, green, 0.3 to 0.5cm
Fruit: black, Autumn

Problems to watch for

Powdery mildew · A white fungal growth on leaves caused by poor air circulation.

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: spring

This plant is rarely grown intentionally and usually acts as a competitor to desired garden crops.

Grows well with

Wheat · It naturally associates with cereal crops in the wild.

Similar species

Field bindweed · They share a similar twining growth habit and are often confused.

Science

Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Fallopia
Order: Caryophyllales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
Conservation: It is a widespread agricultural weed and is not of conservation concern.

It thrives in disturbed soils and cultivated fields where it can quickly climb over other vegetation.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: foraging, wildlife habitat

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 6/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is this plant invasive?: Yes, it is often considered a troublesome weed in gardens and agricultural fields.
How do I get rid of it?: Pull it by the roots before it sets seed to prevent future germination.

Where the name comes from

The name Fallopia honors the Italian botanist Gabriello Fallopio, while convolvulus refers to its twining habit.

Good to know

It is commonly known as black bindweed.
The plant twines counterclockwise around supports.
It produces a large number of seeds that can remain viable in soil for years.

Keep your black bindweed growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

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This guide was generated with AI on October 19, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.