This is a luxuriant vine that can smother everything in its path. However, the flowers and fruits are produced in abundance and are rather showy. There is a lack of consensus regarding the taxonomy of this variable species. Some botanists (the 'splitters') divide Fallopia scandens (Climbing Buckwheat) into 2 or 3 species, while others (the 'lumpers') recognize only a single species with different varieties. Similar to Yatskievych (2000), I prefer the taxonomy of the latter and regard Fallopia cristata (Crested Climbing Buckwheat) as a variety of Climbing Buckwheat, or Fallopia scandens cristata, as specimen plants tend to intergrade. However, according to Mohlenbrock (2003), Climbing Buckwheat has winged fruits that exceed 10 mm. in length (about 1/3"), while the winged fruits of Crested Buckwheat are shorter. An older scientific name of Climbing Buckwheat is Polygonum scandens, while Crested Climbing Buckwheat has been referred to as Polygonum cristatum and Polygonum scandens cristatum. Another species in this genus, Fallopia convolvulus (Black Bindweed), is an adventive annual vine from Europe that is up to 6' long. The flowers and fruits of Black Bindweed are keeled, rather than conspicuously winged, and the sides of its 3-angled achenes are dull, rather than shiny.