Climbing Buckwheat

Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District

Climbing Buckwheat (False Buckwheat)
Fallopia scandens (Polygonum scandens) [C-value 1]
Knotweed family (Polygonaceae)
Blooms mid-August - September

The native Climbing Buckwheat is common in our area. It prefers partial sun and moist to slightly dry fertile loamy soil. Habitats include open woodlands, woodland borders, thickets, riverbanks and ditches. This aggressive perennial vine is a twining vine up to 20' long that can climb adjacent vegetation and smother small shrubs. The slender stems are light green to bright red and round, angular, or slightly ridged. The alternate heart-shaped leaves are up to 4" long and 2" across with slender petioles up to 1½" long. From the axils of the leaves, there develops racemes of flowers about 2-8" long with greenish white flowers in loose whorls along the racemes.

Climbing Buckwheat at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve September 11, 2016

Climbing Buckwheat at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve August 20, 2016

Climbing Buckwheat at Baker Woods Forest Preserve September 3, 2013

Climbing Buckwheat at Richard Young Forest Preserve September 14, 2013

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