This vine looks messy but its seeds are good food for birds and mammals.

Though climbing false buckwheat (Fallopia scandens a.k.a. Polygonum scandens) is related to smartweed and Japanese knotweed, it’s a native perennial vine. Unfortunately it looks invasive because its red stems climb over nearby vegetation to get close to the sun.

Its small whitish flowers bloom from August to October but they aren’t much to look at.

Last week in Schenley Park I found a chipmunk and four cardinals hiding among the tangled vines, quietly munching false buckwheat seeds.

The seeds are favored by cardinals.

(seed photo by Kate St.John. Flower photo from Flora Pittsburghensis; click on the photo to see the original)