Wild buckwheat – Fallopia convolvulus
Print
EmailFallopia convolvulus L.
Polygonaceae (Smartweed family)
MI Status
Non-native
Life cycle
Twining summer annual vine.
Leaves
Cotyledons are oblong-oval to linear. Leaves are alternate, hairless and heart- to triangle-shaped with a pointed tip and smooth margins.
Stems
Twining, herbaceous, smooth vines branch at the base and are less than 3 feet long. A membranous sheath (ocrea) surrounds the stem at the base of each petiole.
Flowers and fruit
Flowers are inconspicuous and green to white or pink. The seed is enclosed in a single-seeded, dull black, three-sided fruit.
Reproduction
Seeds.
Similar weeds
Mile-a-minute (P. perfoliatum L.)
Differs by having downward-pointing prickles on the stems, petioles and leaf veins.
Tartary buckwheat
[Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.]
Differs by having a more erect habit, arrow-shaped leaves and a grooved, hollow stem.
Other Documents in this Series
You Might Also Be Interested In
-
MSU students partner with Michigan communities to improve trail access
Published on May 30, 2025
-
MSU Institute of Agricultural Technology Celebrates 2026 Commencement
Published on May 6, 2026
-
MSU researchers examine how people reinvent techniques they have learned through educational animations
Published on October 7, 2020
Accessibility Questions:
For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.