Invasiveness Assessment - Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) in Victoria (Nox)

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Plant invasiveness is determined by evaluating a plant’s biological and ecological characteristics against criteria that encompass establishment requirements, growth rate and competitive ability, methods of reproduction, and dispersal mechanisms.

Each characteristic, or criterion, is assessed against a list of intensity ratings. Depending upon information found, a rating of Low, Medium Low, Medium High or High is assigned to that criterion. Where no data is available to answer a criterion, a rating of medium (M) is applied. A description of the invasiveness criteria and intensity ratings used in this process can be viewed here.

The following table provides information on the invasiveness of Field bindweed.

A more detailed description of the methodology of the Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method can be viewed below:

Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (PDF - 630 KB)
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (DOC - 1026 KB)
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Common Name: Field bindweed
Scientific name: Convolvulus arvensis

Question	Comments	Reference	Rating
Establishment
Germination requirements?	Seeds germinate throughout the year if moisture is adequate.	P & C (1992)	H
Establishment requirements?	Can establish under moderate canopy, occurs in forests (e.g. coniferous overstorey). Uses its viney stems to move into sunlight (FEIS).	- FEIS	MH
How much disturbance is required?	Occurs in minor disturbed natural ecosystems, e.g. riparian vegetation, shrubland, grassland.	Lyons (1998)	MH
Growth/Competitive
Life form?	A prostrate trailing and twining perennial herb. Creeper. Also geophytic.	P & C (1992)	ML
Allelopathic properties?	Strongly Allelopathic to such plants as Prince-of-Wales feather, Amaranthus sp.	P & C (1992)	MH
Tolerates herb pressure?	Has little fodder value out of its native range.	P & C (1992)	MH
Normal growth rate?	Strong competitor with cereal crops, orchards, and vineyards – may even kill such vegetation. One of the 10 worst weeds in the world.	P & C (1992) - FEIS	H
Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc?	Tolerance to moisture stress, water logging, however, stated as being ‘quickly killed by water logging’ (Agriculture Protection Board 1993). Occurs in riparian areas, wet meadow margins, etc.), frost (although foliage may die, rhizomes resprout), fire.	P & C (1992) - FEIS – Lyons (1998)	MH
Reproduction
Reproductive system	Reproducing by seed and from roots.	P & C (1992)	H
Number of propagules produced?	Up to 500 seeds are produced per plant.	P & C (1992)	ML
Propagule longevity?	80% seeds remain dormant in soil for at least 20 years.	P & C (1992) Lyons (1998)	H
Reproductive period?	Forms heavy infestations (monocultures). See pics, P & C (1992) p. 398.	P & C (1992)	H
Time to reproductive maturity?	Plants may not flower in the first year.	P & C (1992)	MH
Dispersal
Number of mechanisms?	Contaminated fodder, machinery, grain, animals including birds, animal manure, cultivation equipment.	P & C (1992)	H
How far do they disperse?	Migratory birds have been implicated in long distance dispersal. “Seeds fall near the parent plant but can be transported by water or birds. Seeds remain viable in the stomachs of migrating Kildeer for up to 144 hours, and can pass through animals with little or no damage. Quail may retain the seed for 24 hours, ducks 5, and geese 19, lesser yellowlegs 6 hours. (Lyons 1998).	P & C (1992)	H

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