Polygonum scandens
Climbing False Buckwheat, climbing buckwheat, climbing knotweed, hedge smartweed, bindweed, winged bindweed
Description: herbaceous perennial vine
Place of origin: eastern North America
Urban habitat: can thrive in wide range of soil types and in full sun or shade; commonly found climbing on chain link fences and through cultivated shrubs.
Ecological function: disturbance-adapted colonizer of bare ground.
History: Although native to North America, Polygonum scandens is often considered to be a weed due to its tendency to spread quickly over cultivated plants.