Field bindweed, Australian bindweed
Convolvulus arvensis

Family: Convolvulaceae

What it is like

A vigorous slender climber. It has a woody base and keeps growing from year to year. It has long branched underground stems or rhizomes. These can be 9 m deep. The stems are fine and twining. They have fine hairs when young. The leaves are alternate and broadly oval. They are 3-5 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. The leaves have stalks. They have lobes at the base. The flowers are small and white or pink. They occur singly. They are 2.5 cm across. The flowering stems are in the axils of leaves and are larger than the leaves. Plants sucker freely. The fruit capsules are cone shaped.

It can become a serious weed in temperate places. There are about 100-250 Convolvulus species.

Where it is found

A temperate plant. It grows in cultivated areas, wasteland, roadsides, grassy slopes between 600–4500 m altitude in China. It grows in lowland fields in northern China. It does best in a light, well-drained soil. It needs a sunny position. It is resistant to frost and drought. In Argentina it grows between sea level and 3,200 m above sea level. Tasmania Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Asia (country/location of origin), Australia, Bahrain, Balkans, Caucasus, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, China, Croatia, East Africa, Europe (country/location of origin), France, Georgia, Greece, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hungary, India, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Martinique, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, SE Asia, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Uruguay

How it is used for food

The leaves are used to give flavour to a liquor called "noyeau". They have also been scalded then fried. They are cooked as a vegetable. They are cooked with yoghurt. The seeds are also boiled with other vegetables or fried and eaten. The flowers are sucked for their nectar. The young shoots with a few leaves are gathered in early spring and used in limited amounts with cracked wheat and ground beans to make a gruel. Caution: Eating too much will cause diarrhoea. The roots are boiled, kneaded into dough and then cooked to make a damper.

A very minor food. The seeds are eaten by children. It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Leaves - flavouring, shoots, seeds, flowers - nectar, caution

How it is grown

It can be grown by seed or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Babootu, Beri, Bhadrabala, Chandvel, Chinese bindweed, Correhuela, Dangirek, Dolasgan, Ero, Filiz, Gandhbhadali, Gondal, Gyoteny, Haranpadi, Haranpag, Hiran kahri, Hirapadi, Kheroon, Khewari, Khvartkla, Lavlavk, Lehi, Lehli, Leksiotu, Liblebe, Luwaya, Naaro, Nari, Parvaty, Parwatiay, Prasarna, Rajbala, Ratcho, Sarmaşık, Slacak, Speaker booti, Szulak, Tanesfalt, Tian xuan hua, Tosbagaotu, Vanvaihre, Veladi

Synonyms

Convolvulus arvensis var. angustatus Ledebour; Convolvulus arvensis var. crassifolius Choisy; Convolvulus arvensis var. linearifolius Choisy; Convolvulus arvensis var. sagittatus Ledebour; Convolvulus arvensis var. sagittifolius Turczaninow; Convolvulus chinensis Ker Gawler; Convolvulus sagittifolius (Fischer) Liou & Ling.;