Appalachia False Bindweed, Bearbind, Bellbind, Bingham’s False Bindweed, Bracted Bindweed, Bugle Vine, Devil’s Guts, Great Bindweed, Granny-Pop-Out-Of-Bed, Heavenly Trumpets, Hedgebell, Hedge Bindweed, Hedge False Bindweed, Large Bindweed, Old Man’s Nightcap,  Rutland Beauty, Wild Morning Glory

Calystegia sepium

(Likely Calystegia sepium subsp. angulata)

kal-ee-STEE-jee-uh  SEE-ee-um

Synonyms of Calystegia sepium (3) (Updated on 12-15-22 from Plants of the World Online): Convolvulus sepium L. (1753), Convolvulus sepium var. typicus Fiori (1902)(not validly publ.), Volvulus sepium (L.) Medik. (1791)
Synonyms of Calystegia sepium subsp. angulata (5)(Updated on 12-15-22 from POWO): Calystegia sepium var. angulata (Brummitt) N.H.Holmgren (1984), Calystegia sepium var. repens (L.) A.Gray (1848), Convolvulus repens L. (1753), Convolvulus sepium var. repens (L.) A.Gray (1878), Pseudipomoea repens (L.) Roberty (1964)

Calystegia sepium (L.) R.Br. is the accepted scientific name for this species of Calystegia. The genus AND species were named and described as such by Robert Brown in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae in 1810. It was first named Convolvulus sepium by Carl von Linnaeus in the first edition of the first volume of Species Plantarum in 1753.

Accepted Infraspecific Names (9) (Updated on 12-15-22 from Plants of the World Online): Calystegia sepium subsp. americana (Sims) Brummitt (1965), Calystegia sepium subsp. angulata Brummitt (1980), Calystegia sepium subsp. appalachiana Brummitt (1980), Calystegia sepium subsp. baltica Rothm. (1963), Calystegia sepium subsp. erratica Brummitt (1980), Calystegia sepium subsp. limnophila (Greene) Brummitt (1965), Calystegia sepium subsp. roseata Brummitt (1967), *Calystegia sepium subsp. sepium (autonym), Calystegia sepium subsp. spectabilis Brummitt (1971). *When an infraspecific taxon is named, an autonym (“type-specimen”) is automatically generated whose description is closest to the (original) species. All have their own list of synonyms… The names in bold indicate subspecies found in North America.

As of 12-13-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 26 species in the Calystegia genus. It is a member of the plant family Convolvulaceae with 57 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

The above distribution map for Calystegia sepium is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native and purple is where it has been introduced. The map on the USDA Plants Database for North America (above Mexico) is different… The map on POWO left out a few states.

You can click on the links to find the maps of the subordinate taxon. On the USDA site, you can zoom into your state to see if the species is present in your county. According to the USDA map, the only possible species I have on my farm in Missouri is Calystegia sepium subsp. angulata. Not in Pettis where I live, but in Henry which is across the street… Well, no map is perfect and who knows how old those maps are. 🙂

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS BELOW FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A BETTER POSITIVE ID

I found this vine growing among the blackberry briars along the edge of the south hayfield in 2021. It was late in the afternoon so the flowers were closed. I took photos and uploaded them on iNaturalist for a positive ID and the suggested species was Calystegia sepium. Then I went to the Missouri Plants website and it definitely seemed correct. According to the USDA Plants Database, there are two subspecies found in Missouri where I live but only Calystegia sepium subsp. angulata is close. When I zoom in on Missouri, it shows the subspecies is present in Henry County but not in Pettis where I live. Well, Henry is across the street. The USDA. Plants Database gets its maps from Biota of North America (BONAP-2014) but they don’t show subspecies. I guess I could just be happy with just using the species name, but that wouldn’t be 100% accurate. Even the autonym, Calystegia sepium subsp. sepium isn’t found in Missouri (according to the USDA map). Well, no map is perfect for sure and there hasn’t been new data for quite a while on any map.

There is another similar species, Calystegia silvatica, with subtle differences. Missouri Plants says the taxonomy of this group is controversial and some authors subdivide the genus differently. Some do not distinguish it from Calystegia silvatica at all and consider it synonymous with Calystegia sepium.

Calystegia sepium is a herbaceous vine that climbs vertically and spreads horizontally on other plants and fences. Its roots can grow to around 10’ long and trying to pull it up to get rid of them is fruitless. New plants can grow from any part left behind. This species is said to produce allelopathic chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants. Some websites say this species spreads rapidly by its rhizomatous roots and seeds. Missouri Plants, however, says the species is not as aggressive as the Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Calystegia sepium is less aggressive and is usually well-behaved. It lacks the deep, extensive rootstock that makes field bindweed such a pest in crop fields. Some members of the Calystegia genus are cultivated as ornamentals on trellises and fences.

The species has a widespread distribution and is native to North America, Eurasia, and many other parts of the world. It is adaptable to a variety of soil and conditions and can be found in disturbed areas such as cropland and pastures as well as abandoned fields, along roadsides, streams, and railroads.

Twining stems are light green to reddish, hairless (glabrous) to slightly hairy (pubescent).

Leaves grow in an alternate manner along the twining stems on long petioles (leaf stems), grow from 2 1/2-5” long x 2” across, arrow-head shaped (sagittate-triangular). The basal lobes are kind of angular and squared off (but are sometimes rounded). The basal leaf sinus (the recess surrounding the petiole attachment), has divergent instead of parallel sides as with C. silvatica. Also, the leafy bracts subtending the flower are usually pointed, and usually overlap only near the base and sometimes not at all.

Large buds produce funnel-shaped flowers that are 2-3” long x 2-3” across. Flowers (and buds) have large bracts that can vary between the subspecies.

Once I get good close-ups of the flowers I will be able to explain them in better detail. I will have to get to where they are growing before noon as their flowers are closed in the afternoon… There are several very good websites listed below that have great descriptions and photos. I have made a note to check for flowers from May through September, and do so before noon.

I live on a small farm in Windsor, Missouri where I enjoy gardening, collecting plants, and identifying wildflowers. The farm is in Pettis County but Henry County is across the street, and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away. I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be somewhat variable from location to location, so sometimes it gets a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and provide much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF MISSOURI(GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
MISSOURI PLANTS
MSU-MIDWEST WEEDS AND WILDFLOWERS
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-WEED ID GUIDE
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
IOWA PLANTS
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
PFAF (PLANTS FOR A FUTURE)
GO BOTANY
FLORA FINDER
FRIENDS OF THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN
MARYLAND BIODIVERSITY PROJECT
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON-BURKE HERBARIUM
CLIMBERS-UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂