Convolvulus arvensis [Field Bindweed]

[herbalmom]

I have several that I need you guys to help me ID over the next few days. That way I know what 'weeds'  from my yard to transplant & what to keep mowed down. City codes here are a nuisance so if I want to keep anything, I need to transplant it.

So anyway, here's #1. I really like this plant & it also comes in pink & lavender colored around here. One name for it may be 'Creeping Jenny'. I need to know what it is so I can find out whether I can use it as ground cover or whether it's considered an invasive weed that I have to get rid of.

Of course, I would also love to know if it's medicinal.   

I live in the Denver area which is high mountain prairie desert:

Plant #1

[herbalmom]

Plant #1; pic #2:

[herbalmom]

Plant #1 Pic #3

[herbalmom]

Yep, I did some checking & that's what it is. It's definitely an invasive weed. I think it's pretty & apparently since it was sold as an ornamental in the 1800's other people think it's pretty also but from everything I have been reading about it I'm going to have to try to get rid of it.  Thanks for the help.

I found this on this web page:

http://www.pesticide.org/bindweed.html

"Field bindweed is more than a nuisance; it's a pernicious weed. Like many nonnative invasives, bindweed is a tough plant that threatens to take over once it gets a toehold. Its cosmopolitan presence in many temperate climates has earned it 84 names in 29 different languages—most of those names are not kind.(1) There aren't many positive things to say about a plant that can smother a garden in a season and reappear Terminator-like after the most conscientious yanking. However, bindweed can be managed and even eliminated if you are persistent.

Field bindweed's Latin name, Convolvulus arvensis describes the plant well, being derived from convolere, “to entwine,” and arvensis, “of the fields.”(2) It also goes by the common names wild morning glory, creeping jenny, creeping charlie, cornbind, greenvine, and lovevine.(3) Not to be confused with the annual ornamental morning glory (Ipomoea spp.), field bindweed is an aggressive perennial weed.(3,4)
 
Bindweed, a native of Eurasia, was sold as an ornamental in the U.S. in the early 1800s. It was firmly established in the West by the end of that century.(1)"

Actually this web site looks like it's got good info for dealing with weeds & insects poison free. "The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides protects the health of people and the environment by advancing alternatives to pesticides."

http://www.pesticide.org/default.htm

Thanks again for the help. Blessings ~herbalmom

[herbalmom]

OK, so before I declare war on the bindweed in my yard  does anyone know if it has any medicinal qualities? If so I might tincture some of it before killing off the rest of it.  TIA Blessings ~herbalmom

[Mrs. B]

OK, so before I declare war on the bindweed in my yard  does anyone know if it has any medicinal qualities? If so I might tincture some of it before killing off the rest of it.  TIA Blessings ~herbalmom

Only thing I could find was  to use the cold leaf tea on spider bites.  The root is a purgative.

[herbalmom]

OK, so I just realized 2 things:

There's a second type of bindweed known as HEDGE bindweed

I now have it growing in my yard also. 

Not that I've gotten rid of the field bindweed that was ID'ed last year but now i have another type to try to get rid of. *sigh* 

[herbalmom]

So anyways, does anybody know of any other medicinal uses for field bindweed other than what Mrs B posted & does anyone know of any medicinal uses for hedge bindweed? TIA Blessings ~herbalmom

[LibbyMN]

It's definitely an herb. Used for killing cancer.