Calystegia sepium
Hedge Bindweed
a perennial woody member of the Calystegia genus in the family Convolvulaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Convolvulaceae
- Genus
- Calystegia
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Woodiness
- woody
- Growth rate
- vigorous
- Height
- 3 m
- Fertility
- Bees, Lepidoptera
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees, Lepidoptera
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
This species is said to be purgative[6], some caution is advised.
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Stalks and root - cooked[9][15][3][5]. Washed and steamed[8]. A pleasant sweet taste[7]. Rich in starch and sugars, it is very nutritious[8]. It should not be eaten regularly, however, due to its possible purgative effect[8]. Young shoots - cooked[15][17][2]. Some caution is advised since they are possibly purgative[8].
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Root
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The root is demulcent, diuretic, febrifuge, poultice and strongly purgative[18][11][7][12]. Use of the root is believed to increase the flow of bile[12].
- Product or use
- Cholagogue
- Product or use
- Demulcent
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
- Product or use
- Poultice
- Product or use
- Purgative
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The stems are very flexible and can be used as an emergency string for tying[16]. It is fairly strong but not very long-lasting[K].
- Product or use
- String
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Climber
Environment
- Range
- Most of Europe, excluding the north but including Britain, W. Asia, N. Africa and N. America.
- Habitat
- Hedges, fences, edges of woods, waste ground etc[18].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame in a free draining compost and only just cover. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c[4]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in early spring whilst dormant[10].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Easily grown in ordinary garden soil in a sunny position, but plants are apt to become invasive[1][10]. Hedge bindweed is a troublesome garden weed, especially when growing on moist soils[1][14]. The plant is a vigorous climber with annual shoots 3 metres or more long. These twine around other plants and can kill them by smothering them[14]. Once established, it is very difficult to eradicate the plant because it has very deep roots and is capable of re-growing from any part of the root left in the ground. The flowers open in sunny weather and remain closed during dull weather[14]. Nearly all taxa in Calystegia intergrade geographically into neighboring taxa with the exception of the widespread coastal species, C. soldanella (Linnaeus) R. Brown. It is impossible to draw clearly defined specific limits, and intermediate forms are always found where two taxa approximate geographically[13].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Laing. and Blackwell. Plants of New Zealand. Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd 1907-00-00
Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00
Brooker. S. G., Cambie. R. C. and Cooper. R. C. Economic Native Plants of New Zealand. Oxford University Press 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-19-558229-2
Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-340-508302
Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Mabey. R. Plants with a Purpose. Fontana 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-00-635555-2
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2