Convolvulus arvensis (Field Bindweed), 2024
watercolour on paper, 20” x 14”

Native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, Convolvulus arvensis was likely first introduced to the United States in the 1730s as a contaminant in agricultural seed. By the early nineteenth century, seeds were being sold through mail-order catalogues as a medicinal herb and ornamental plant valued for its delicate pink and white flowers. Often referred to as a morning glory, field bindweed should not be confused with true morning glory species in the Ipomoea genus as they are generally not considered invasive.

With the expansion of the railroad, field bindweed spread rapidly westward. While records place the species in eastern Canada by the late 1800s, the earliest known herbarium specimen in Alberta dates to 1940. Today, field bindweed continues to spread through contaminated crop seed and soil containing root fragments.

Field bindweed reproduces both by seed and through its extensive underground root system. Even small root fragments can generate new plants, while seeds may remain viable in soil for up to sixty years. Considered one of the world’s worst agricultural weeds, severe infestations can reduce crop yields by 30% to 50%.

A twining perennial vine, field bindweed climbs by wrapping its stems in a spiralling motion around nearby plants and structures. Each twining plant species coils its shoots consistently in a single direction—only around 10% of twining species coil in a clockwise manner. In this case, field bindweed turns counterclockwise, directing its stems towards the sun.