Distribution and biology of black-bindweed in the UK

Black-bindweed is one of the most common broad-leaved weeds of cereals. Find out how to identify and control it.

Black-bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus) is one of the most common weeds of cereals; it occurs particularly in spring cereals and in open crops of winter wheat. It is also found in potato, beet and maize crops. It grows rapidly from large seedlings mainly germinating in spring and is deep rooting. Seeds are dispersed in cereal grains. Plants germinating in autumn do not survive winter.

• It is particularly competitive in spring crops
• It has value to biodiversity

It is a summer annual that scrambles as high as the supporting vegetation will allow. The flowers grow on loose flowering spikes.

Seedling: The hypocotyl is crimson and the cotyledons and first leaves reddish.

Plant: Although the leaves are heart-shaped and resemble field bindweed, the lower lobes of black-bindweed leaves are more rounded than those of field bindweed.

Young plants of black-bindweed can be confused with those of field bindweed.

The difference is in the cotyledons; black-bindweed has long cotyledons with short stalks, while field bindweed has oval cotyledons, notched at the tip.

Black-bindweed is mainly found in lowland areas but can grow up to an altitude of 400 m, in arable, especially cereal crops, disturbed land, other bare ground and road sides.

It grows on fertile, moist soils with pH >5.

• Seed longevity: >5 years
• Seed weight: 5 mg
• Seeds/plant: 100–1,000

For advice on herbicides, please speak with your agronomist or adviser.

When was this information last updated?

This page is based on content from the encyclopaedia of arable weeds publication. Since it was first released in 2008, the publication has been redesigned several times but not revised. However, it remains a good foundation for general information on the distribution and biology of weeds.