Hedge False Bindweed: A Rare Native Vine Worth Protecting
Meet hedge false bindweed (Calystegia sepium erratica), a perennial native vine that’s become something of a botanical treasure across North America. While many gardeners might dismiss bindweeds as weedy troublemakers, this particular variety deserves a much more respectful second look – especially considering its precarious conservation status.
Where You’ll Find This Rare Beauty
Hedge false bindweed calls both Canada and the lower 48 United States home, though you won’t stumble across it just anywhere. This native species has been documented in Ontario, Quebec, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. However, don’t let that seemingly wide distribution fool you – this plant is far from common.
A Plant in Need of Protection
Here’s where things get serious: in New Jersey, hedge false bindweed holds the sobering status of Endangered and is specifically listed for protection in both the Pinelands and Highlands regions. With a rarity ranking of SH.1, this means the plant is critically imperiled in the state. This conservation status should make any gardener pause and consider the responsibility that comes with growing rare native species.
What Makes This Plant Special
As a perennial forb herb, hedge false bindweed lacks the woody tissue you’d find in shrubs and trees. Instead, it’s a vascular plant that returns year after year from buds located at or below ground level. Think of it as nature’s way of creating a persistent, herbaceous climbing vine that knows how to come back strong each growing season.
The plant belongs to the morning glory family, and like its relatives, it’s likely to produce attractive funnel-shaped flowers that can add vertical interest to garden spaces where climbing plants are welcome.
Should You Grow Hedge False Bindweed?
This is where we need to have an honest conversation. While hedge false bindweed is undeniably a legitimate native plant with ecological value, its endangered status means you shouldn’t rush out and try to add it to your garden collection.
If you’re genuinely interested in growing this species, here’s what you need to know:
- Only source plants from reputable native plant nurseries that can guarantee responsibly collected or propagated material
- Never collect plants from wild populations – this could further threaten already vulnerable communities
- Consider whether your garden can provide appropriate growing conditions for a climbing vine
- Be prepared for a plant that may have specific habitat requirements we don’t fully understand
Growing Conditions and Care
Unfortunately, specific growing requirements for Calystegia sepium erratica aren’t well-documented in readily available sources. This lack of cultivation information actually supports the plant’s rare status – it’s simply not commonly grown or studied in garden settings.
Based on its native distribution across diverse regions from Canada to the mid-Atlantic states, the plant likely tolerates a range of conditions. However, without specific data on soil preferences, light requirements, or moisture needs, growing this species would require some educated guesswork and careful observation.
Consider Native Alternatives
Given the conservation concerns surrounding hedge false bindweed, you might want to consider other native vines that can provide similar garden benefits without the ethical complications:
- Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) for pollinator appeal
- Virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana) for native climbing structure
- American groundnut (Apios americana) for both beauty and edible tubers
The Bottom Line
Hedge false bindweed represents an important piece of North America’s botanical heritage, but it’s a piece that needs our protection more than our cultivation. If you encounter this plant in the wild, consider yourself lucky to witness something increasingly rare. If you’re determined to grow it, proceed with caution, responsibility, and a deep commitment to conservation ethics.
Sometimes the best way to garden with native plants is to support their conservation in wild spaces while choosing more common native species for our home landscapes. In the case of hedge false bindweed, that might just be the most gardener-like thing we can do.
